— Pakistan names Salman Ali Agha as captain for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad
By Ali Irzam Malik
Pakistan on Friday announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, appointing Salman Ali Agha as captain of the national T20 side in a significant leadership shift ahead of the mega event.
The announcement is indicative of Pakistan going to play ICC T20 World Cup in India. Pakistan will play its matches in Sri Lanka under hybrid system.
The selected squad features a blend of experience and emerging talent, including Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Muhammad Nafay, Muhammad Salman Mirza, Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah.
Pakistan will begin their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on 7 February, while the tournament will continue until 8 March. As part of preparations, the national side will also play a three-match T20 International series against Australia before the start of the World Cup.
Selectors defend key decisions
Addressing a press conference after the squad announcement, national selector Aaqib Javed said the omission of Haris Rauf was based on workload management, fitness assessment and match conditions.
“Haris Rauf has been playing continuously for a long time. Decisions regarding him were taken after carefully reviewing his fitness and the conditions,” Aaqib said, adding that conditions differ significantly between Australia, Asia and Sri Lanka.
He explained that Babar Azam’s inclusion was also based on condition-specific planning. “Considering conditions similar to Sri Lanka, Babar was included. Conditions are not the same across all three formats,” he said.
Aaqib also offered a candid assessment of Pakistan cricket’s approach.
“We are still struggling to move beyond the mindset of the 1990s. We are still treating T20 cricket like Tests and ODIs,” he admitted, while adding that both the captain and coach have expressed renewed confidence in Babar Azam.
He acknowledged Pakistan’s poor recent record in ICC events, including early exits at the group stage, but expressed cautious optimism.
“Our job is to select the team. The decision regarding participation in the World Cup rests with the Government of Pakistan. We have completed our responsibility,” he said.
Captain confident despite pressure
Newly appointed T20 captain Salman Ali Agha said playing all matches in Sri Lanka would be an advantage, but only disciplined cricket could deliver results.
“Matches cannot be won by playing poor cricket. India won the Champions Trophy because they played quality cricket,” he said, noting that Sri Lankan conditions are unlikely to produce consistently high-scoring games.
Backing Babar Azam, Salman said:
“Babar is performing well after his comeback. Although he could not perform well in Australia, he has delivered for Pakistan, which is what matters for us.”
He also emphasized that team roles matter more than batting positions.
“In this team, the role assigned to a player is more important than the batting order. In Sri Lanka, innings have to be played according to match situations,” he added.
Coach praises squad balance
Head coach Mike Hesson praised wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan for his strong comeback and excellent keeping skills, particularly during the Sri Lanka series.
He also revealed that Sahibzada Farhan had experienced minor injury concerns during his captaincy stint.
“He is an important player for us, so we cannot afford to take any risk with his fitness,” Hesson said.
Explaining the bowling selection, the coach said fast bowlers were chosen strictly in line with expected conditions. He also clarified Babar’s role in the batting order.
“Babar Azam has been opening in the Big Bash League, but in our setup, he bats at number three,” Hesson concluded.
If you want, I can also make it shorter for web, sharper for breaking news, or more analytical for a feature-style piece.
