Pakistan cricketers have a good time after a wicket throughout tri-nation sequence match in opposition to Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, December 1, 2025. — PCBSkipper Agha to make his maiden look in T20 World Cup.Rauf, Rizwan to overlook mega occasion after that includes in final three editions.Mirza, Tariq, Nafay to make their first T20 World Cup appearances.
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Sunday introduced a 15-member squad for the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to be kicked off from February 7.
Pacer Haris Rauf, who final represented Pakistan within the shortest format in September final yr, couldn’t make it to the squad.
The squad was unveiled throughout a press convention addressed by the PCB Director Excessive Efficiency and member males’s nationwide choice committee Aqib Javed, Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha and white-ball head coach Michael Hesson on the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Skipper Salman Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Nafay, Salman Mirza and Usman Tariq have obtained their maiden mega-event call-ups.
In the meantime, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Usman Khan have featured in a number of editions of the match since 2021.
Mohammad Rizwan, who was sidelined from the nationwide T20 squad since December 2024, will probably be lacking his first T20 World Cup after that includes in three editions in 2021, 2022, and 2024.
The 2009 champions will play all of their matches in Sri Lanka as per the ‘Fusion Method’, which states that Pakistan or India is not going to go to one another for any ICC tournaments for 3 years and can as a substitute play their respective matches at a impartial venue.
If Pakistan progresses to the semi-finals and remaining, each knockout matches will probably be hosted in Colombo. In any other case, the semi-finals and remaining will happen in Kolkata and Ahmedabad, respectively.
When requested about Rauf and his efficiency within the Huge Bash League (BBL), Javed mentioned that the pacer had served Pakistan for a very long time, however in current matches, a distinct mixture was chosen.
“We are playing our matches in Sri Lanka, and we finalised the squad based on the conditions there,” he added.
On Babar’s inclusion, the PCB director of excessive efficiency mentioned, “definitely, he is the most consistent batsman,” and has a selected position within the crew.
“During the last Asia Cup, we felt the team needed a player who could perform in challenging situations. It’s a specific role, especially considering the conditions in Sri Lanka,” he defined.
Responding to a query concerning omission of Rizwan, Hesson mentioned that they’re searching for a wicket-keeper who can bat within the center or lower-middle order. “Rizwan is a top-order batter, and there is no spot in that role for a wicket-keeper.”
He additionally lauded Usman Khan, who is about to make his second look within the T20 World Cup, calling his efficiency “exceptional” since his comeback.
“His wicketkeeping has probably bigger than expected, especially the way he kept in Sri Lanka,” Hesson added.
It’s pertinent to say that the inexperienced shirts will kick off their World Cup marketing campaign in opposition to the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo.
Pakistan have been positioned in Group A alongside India, the USA, the Netherlands and Namibia and can play all its matches in Sri Lanka.
They are going to then face the USA on February 10, arch-rivals India on February 15 and Namibia on February 18 of their remaining group-stage match.
For the unversed, the Tremendous Eight spherical is scheduled to start on February 21 in Colombo and conclude on March 1 in Kolkata.
The primary semi-final will probably be held on March 3, the second on March 5, with the grand finale set for March 8 in Ahmedabad or Colombo.
Squad
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq.
