LAHORE: In a bold move, Pakistan cricket has initiated a significant transformation of its national team, dropping star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the upcoming T20 series against New Zealand, signaling a potential new era in the team’s approach to international cricket.
Interim head coach Aaqib Javed announced a radical restructuring of the squad for the five-match T20 series starting March 16, with Salman Ali Agha named as captain and Shadab Khan as vice-captain. This marks a dramatic departure from the established leadership that has defined Pakistan’s cricket in recent years.
“We need to play fearless and aggressive cricket in the T20 format,” Javed emphasized during a media conference, underlining the rationale behind the sweeping changes. The decision appears strategically timed, with an eye on two major upcoming tournaments: the T20 Asia Cup in September 2025 and the T20 World Cup in 2026. The selection committee’s approach reflects a desire to inject new energy into the team. “Right now, we feel the need to introduce a younger group of players and change our style of play and mindset,” Javed explained. He noted that many international teams have already made significant changes to their T20 squads, with some transforming their lineups by 80-90%.
Three uncapped players have been introduced in Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali. He claimed that domestic performers have been rewarded, with players like Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed finding spots in the squad.
“The selection aims to create a core group of 24-25 players to maintain consistency before major tournaments.” While Babar and Rizwan have been dropped from the T20 squad, they retain their places in the ODI setup. Fast bowlers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi remain in the T20 squad but have been omitted from the ODI team.
The selection process revealed interesting insights into the team’s thinking. Notably, the exclusion of leg-spinner Usama Mir was attributed to fitness concerns, with Javed emphasizing the need for players to leave “no room for doubt” when making a comeback.
The changes come in the wake of Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ICC Champions Trophy, where they finished fourth in their group after losses to New Zealand and India. The interim coach stressed the need for batsmen who can effectively utilize the first six overs of the batting powerplay and play aggressive shots. The upcoming series against New Zealand will be a crucial test for this reinvented Pakistan cricket strategy, offering a glimpse into the team’s potential future direction.
Pakistan squads: T20 squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan, Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem and Usman Khan
ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Irfan Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem and Tayyab Tahir. A wicketkeeping batter will be added to the ODI squad following the T20Is.
