Pakistan has unveiled its squad for the upcoming three match T20I series against Bangladesh, scheduled from July 20 to 24 in Mirpur, Dhaka, with several big names missing and a wave of new talent getting the nod.
The team will be led by Salman Agha and marks a noticeable shift in approach as the new white ball coaching regime under Mike Hesson takes shape.
Among the most talked about omissions are Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Both stalwarts of Pakistan’s batting lineup have not been included in the T20 squad.
When asked about their absence during a press conference, Amir Mir, advisor to the PCB chairman, responded:
“This is a T20 side, and these players are of longer format. Once the longer format squad is announced, you will see their name.”
The exclusion does not come as a complete shock. Over the past year, Babar and Rizwan have faced increasing criticism for their slower strike rates, especially in high pressure T20 matches.
With Pakistan aiming to embrace a more explosive batting strategy ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, the decision seems to be based on tactical direction rather than form.
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In a separate and surprising development, Hasan Ali has also been left out of the squad despite excellent recent form. The veteran pacer was the highest wicket taker in Pakistan’s most recent T20I series against Bangladesh, taking 8 wickets in just 3 matches, including a career best 5 for 30.
He was also third in the wicket charts of PSL 2025 and currently holds the record for most wickets in PSL history with 121 wickets in 88 games. Hasan is presently active in England, representing Warwickshire in the Vitality T20 Blast.
Unlike with Babar and Rizwan, no explanation was provided for his omission and it remains unclear whether he was dropped or simply overlooked.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Nawaz, the left arm all rounder, makes a return to the national squad after over a year. Nawaz last featured for Pakistan in 2024 against New Zealand and adds variety to the spin attack.
Several young players have earned call ups including Ahmed Daniyal and Salman Mirza, both yet to make their international debut. Sufiyan Muqeem with 10 T20Is, Hasan Nawaz with 8 T20Is, and Abbas Afridi with 21 T20Is round out a youthful PSL driven squad.
Top PSL performers in the squad include
Abbas Afridi with 17 wickets for Karachi Kings
Salman Mirza with 9 wickets in just 4 games for Lahore Qalandars
Hasan Nawaz with 399 runs for Quetta Gladiators at a strike rate of 162.19
The PCB also noted that the white ball squad for the West Indies series in August, which includes T20Is in Lauderhill and ODIs in Tarouba, will be announced later.
Pakistan Squad for T20Is vs Bangladesh
Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Nawaz, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Sufiyan Muqeem
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