Opener Fakhar Zaman, fast bowler Naseem Shah and all-rounder Shadab Khan have been included in both the T20 and ODI squads announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday. Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has recalled all the tried-and-tested players for the T20 International series against Sri Lanka and the triangular ODI series, also involving England, at home this month. Shaheen Shah Afridi continues as captain of the ODI squad, which also includes senior batters Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and fast bowler Haris Rauf.
Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has recalled all the tried-and-tested players for the T20 International series against Sri Lanka and the triangular ODI series, also involving England, at home this month.
Fakhar, Shadab, Babar, Shaheen, Haris, Faheem, Naseem and Salman are the most experienced players in the two squads announced for the three-match T20 series and the ODI tri-series. Salman Ali Agha has lost the T20 captaincy and also his spot in the format to Sahibzada Farhan, who was named captain for the Asian Games, in which Pakistan were beaten by India in the final. Hesson and the selectors had announced a new-look young squad for the Asian Games, and the head coach has been talking about giving more chances to young and new players, but on Monday he was back to relying on the tried-and-tested players.
Young fast bowlers Akif Javed, Ali Raza and Ahmed Daniyal, who were in the Asian Games squad, have not been considered for the upcoming matches at home. Ironically, Akif and Ali Raza didn’t get to play a single game at the Asian Games. The selectors have made a total of six changes to the Asian Games squad, also sidelining young all-rounder Saad Masood, batter Haider Ali and Usman Khan for the T20 series against Sri Lanka. There are also five changes in the ODI squad that last played at home against Australia in May this year, with Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Ahmed Daniyal, Rohail Nazir and Shamyl Hussain dropped from the Australia series.
The group has represented Pakistan in all the T20 World Cups since 2021, the 50-over World Cup in 2023 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.
