Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been dropped from T-20 Squad
In a major shake-up, Pakistan has announced its ODI and T20 squads for the New Zealand tour, marking a bold shift in leadership. Salman Ali Agha has been named T20 captain, while Mohammad Rizwan retains the ODI captaincy. With big names shuffled across formats, the changes signal a new direction for Pakistan cricket.
Head coach Aaqib Javed confirmed Rizwan’s role in ODIs, while Shadab Khan will serve as vice-captain in T20s. The leadership revamp aims to prepare for the ICC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026.
ODI Squad:
Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Aqif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.
Openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were ruled out due to medical advice.
T20 Squad:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hassan Nawaz, Irfan Khan Niazi, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.
Sources confirm that Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam have been dropped from the T20 squad, while Shadab Khan returns to the national side.
In a press conference in Lahore, Salman Ali Agha expressed his pride in being named T20 captain, calling it an honor.
Meanwhile, sources indicate that interim head coach Aaqib Javed is likely to continue in his role for the New Zealand tour.