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In a major shake-up following their disastrous exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at home, Pakistan has announced its squads for the upcoming New Zealand tour with several key changes. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been dropped from the T20I squad, while Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the new T20I captain.
Pakistan will play five T20Is and three ODIs in New Zealand from March 16 to April 5, 2025. This is the first squad announcement since the PCB’s major overhaul following their underwhelming Champions Trophy campaign, which saw the team fail to make an impact in the tournament they were hosting.
Table of content
- 1 Salman Agha Takes Over as T20I Captain, Shadab Named Vice-Captain
- 2 Mohammad Rizwan Retains ODI Captaincy
- 3 Squad Selections: New Faces and Notable Omissions
- 4 Aaqib Javed Named Interim Head Coach, Mohammad Yousuf as Batting Coach
- 5 Pakistan Squads for the New Zealand Tour
- 6 Pakistan’s Road to the T20 World Cup 2026
- 7 Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s T20I Future in Doubt?
- 8 Final Thoughts
- 9 Share this:
- 10 Like this:
- 11 Related
Salman Agha Takes Over as T20I Captain, Shadab Named Vice-Captain
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has opted for Salman Ali Agha as the T20I captain, with Shadab Khan as his deputy. The decision to make this leadership change has been taken with the upcoming T20 Asia Cup 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026 in mind.
“The decision to appoint Salman and Shadab as T20I captain and vice-captain, respectively, has been made with an eye on two major upcoming tournaments – the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 (September 2025) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (February/March 2026),” a PCB statement read.
Salman Agha had previously led Pakistan in a T20I series against Zimbabwe last year, winning it 2-1. His promotion as the full-time captain signals a new direction for Pakistan’s T20 setup.
Mohammad Rizwan Retains ODI Captaincy
While Rizwan has been dropped from T20Is, he remains Pakistan’s ODI captain as the team looks ahead to the ICC Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup 2027, scheduled to be held in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
Squad Selections: New Faces and Notable Omissions
The T20I squad includes three uncapped players – Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali. Akif Javed and Mohammad Ali have been picked for ODIs but are yet to make their debut in the format. These selections reward players who performed exceptionally well in the Champions One-Day and T20 Cups.
Players Ruled Out Due to Injuries
- Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub have not been considered for selection due to injuries.
- Fakhar Zaman suffered a left intercostal muscle strain during Pakistan’s opening match against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025.
- Saim Ayub is recovering from a right ankle injury sustained during the Cape Town Test against South Africa in January 2025.
- Both players are expected to be fully fit before the HBL Pakistan Super League 10, which starts on April 11, 2025, in Rawalpindi.
Aaqib Javed Named Interim Head Coach, Mohammad Yousuf as Batting Coach
With no permanent coaching staff currently in place, Aaqib Javed will serve as the temporary head coach for the New Zealand tour, while Mohammad Yousuf has been appointed as the batting coach.
Pakistan Squads for the New Zealand Tour
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
- Sufyan Moqim
- 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 Jnr
- Muhammad Irfan Khan
- Naseem Shah
- Sufyan Moqim
- Tayyab Tahir
- (A wicketkeeper-batter will be added to the ODI squad after the T20Is)
Pakistan’s Road to the T20 World Cup 2026
The New Zealand tour is just the first step in Pakistan’s preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026. Before the tournament, Pakistan will play:
- ACC Asia Cup 2025 (Minimum of 5 T20Is)
- West Indies (Away, July 2025) – 3 T20Is
- Afghanistan (Home, August 2025) – 3 T20Is
- Ireland (Home, September 2025) – 3 T20Is
- South Africa (Home, September/October 2025) – 3 T20Is
- Sri Lanka (Home, November 2025) – 3 T20Is
- Australia (Home, January 2026) – 3 T20Is
With the Asia Cup 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, Pakistan is experimenting with a new leadership group and squad composition.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s T20I Future in Doubt?
The exclusion of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I squad raises questions about their future in the format. Both players have been mainstays in Pakistan’s T20 setup for years, and this decision suggests that Pakistan is looking for a fresh approach.
While Rizwan continues to be part of the ODI leadership group, Babar’s place in white-ball cricket is now uncertain. Given that the team is in a transition phase, the next few months will determine whether they make a comeback in Pakistan’s T20I setup or if new players cement their spots.
Final Thoughts
Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand marks the beginning of a new era for their white-ball cricket. With Salman Ali Agha taking over the T20I captaincy, a blend of young and experienced players, and several key tournaments ahead, the next few months will be crucial in shaping Pakistan’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 and ODI World Cup 2027.
Will this fresh approach help Pakistan return to winning ways? Or will they struggle with these changes? Only time will tell.
