Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced the men’s squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand. Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the captain of the T20 International (T20I) team, while Mohammad Rizwan will continue to lead the One Day International (ODI) squad.
A major change in the T20 squad is the omission of star batter Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, a decision that has sparked discussion among cricket fans.
Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand will feature five T20 matches and three ODIs. The squad announcement comes amid criticism following Pakistan’s poor performance in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which saw the team suffer early elimination after losses to India and New Zealand, along with a rain-affected match against Bangladesh.
The PCB stated that Salman Ali Agha and vice-captain Shadab Khan were chosen with the upcoming ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 (September 2025) and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (February/March 2026) in mind. Salman previously captained Pakistan in a T20 series against Zimbabwe, securing a 2-1 victory.
Interim head coach and acting chief selector Aqib Javed will continue in his role for the New Zealand tour, with Mohammad Yousuf joining as the batting coach.
During a press conference in Lahore, Salman Ali Agha emphasized a strategy focused on young talent:
“We have selected players who bring an aggressive, modern-day approach to cricket. This young team will aim to play fearless, high-risk cricket in line with contemporary requirements.”
Leg-spinner Shadab Khan returns to the T20 squad as vice-captain. Commenting on his selection, Aqib Javed acknowledged the challenge of finding quality all-rounders. He highlighted that Shadab had been advised to improve his red-ball bowling in domestic cricket, which ultimately helped him regain form.
When asked about Babar Azam and Rizwan’s absence from the T20 squad, Aqib Javed clarified:
“This doesn’t mean they are out of our future plans. Right now, we want to give younger players a chance and shift to a more dynamic playing style. Many international teams have restructured their T20 squads with 80-90% different players from other formats. We are working on forming a strong core of 24-25 players for upcoming tournaments.”
He also took responsibility for Pakistan’s disappointing Champions Trophy performance.
The squad features three uncapped players in T20Is—Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali—while Akif Javed and Mohammad Ali are yet to debut in ODIs. These players earned their selection through standout performances in domestic competitions.
The PCB also confirmed that Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were not considered due to injuries. Fakhar sustained a left intercostal muscle sprain in the Champions Trophy opener, while Saim is recovering from a right ankle fracture sustained during the South Africa Test series. Both are expected to return for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025, starting in April. Fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf have also been left out of the ODI squad.
T20I Squad:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.
ODI Squad:
Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.
A wicketkeeper-batter will be added to the ODI squad after the T20 series.
