The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the men’s squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand on Tuesday. Salman Ali Agha has been named captain of the T20 International team, while Mohammad Rizwan will continue to lead the One Day International (ODI) side. Notably, star batter Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Rizwan have been left out of the T20 squad.
Pakistan is scheduled to play five T20s and three ODIs during the tour. This announcement follows significant criticism of the national team’s underwhelming performance in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where Pakistan faced early elimination after losses to India and New Zealand, along with a rain-affected match against Bangladesh. These results have fueled demands for changes within the PCB.
The PCB stated that the decision to appoint Salman as T20I captain and Shadab Khan as vice-captain is part of a broader strategy to prepare for two major tournaments: the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 (scheduled for September 2025) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (set for February/March 2026). Salman previously led Pakistan to a 2-1 series victory against Zimbabwe in T20s last year.
Interim head coach and de facto chief selector Aqib Javed will continue his role for the New Zealand tour, with Mohammad Yousuf joining as batting coach. At a press conference in Lahore, Salman emphasized the inclusion of young players who align with the modern style of cricket. “We aim to play fearless, high-risk cricket that meets current demands,” he said.
Shadab Khan, who returns to the T20 squad as vice-captain, was praised by Aqib for his improved performance in domestic cricket. Aqib also addressed the exclusion of Babar and Rizwan, stating, “While they remain part of future plans, we are focusing on integrating younger players and evolving our playing style.”
The T20 squad includes three uncapped players: Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali. Meanwhile, Akif Javed and Mohammad Ali are yet to debut in ODIs. These selections were based on their standout performances in domestic tournaments.
Openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were excluded from both formats due to injuries. Fakhar sustained a muscle sprain during the Champions Trophy, while Saim is recovering from an ankle fracture. Both are expected to return for the Pakistan Super League 10, starting in Rawalpindi on April 11. Additionally, fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were omitted from 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, and 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, and Tayyab Tahir. A wicketkeeper/batter will be added to the ODI squad following the T20Is.
