Pakistan T20I Squad Overhaul
Sahibzada Farhan Takes Pakistan T20I Captaincy While Babar Azam Is Omitted
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Key Points
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Uncapped all-rounder Razaullah impressed on his Test debut against England, scoring 81 off 63 balls with nine sixes and taking four wickets.
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Naseem Shah has recovered from a knee injury and rebuilt his bowling workload through domestic cricket and the Caribbean Premier League, according to India Today.
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The Sri Lanka series will mark Shaun Tait’s return as Pakistan’s bowling coach; he previously held the role for a year beginning in February 2022.
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Hasan Nawaz, included in the T20I squad, was Pakistan’s leading batter at the Asian Games and the tournament’s top run-scorer with 123 runs; he made 96 in the final against India.
Pakistan has appointed opening batter Sahibzada Farhan as T20I captain for a three-match home series against Sri Lanka, replacing Salman Ali Agha. The move marks a major overhaul of the T20 squad, with senior stars Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf dropped from the shortest format entirely, according to Rediff.
Farhan led Pakistan to a silver medal at the Asian Games and struck 383 runs at the T20 World Cup with a strike rate of 160, per Newsbydes. The Sri Lanka T20Is begin October 9 in Rawalpindi, followed by a seven-match ODI tri-series with England and Sri Lanka. Shaheen Shah Afridi will captain the ODI squad despite missing the T20 team.
Young All-Rounder Razaullah Earns First White-Ball Call-Up
Uncapped all-rounder Razaullah has been selected for both T20I and ODI squads following a stunning Test debut against England on September 11. The 21-year-old smashed 81 runs off 63 balls with nine sixes and took four wickets—one of the most explosive debuts in recent memory.
Razaullah scored his fifty in just 43 balls, the fastest half-century by a Pakistani batter on Test debut. His aggressive batting style aligns with Pakistan's new T20 vision, signaling a shift toward modern, high-strike-rate cricket.
Naseem Shah Returns After Knee Injury Recovery
Fast bowler Naseem Shah has recovered from a knee injury and earned recall to the T20I squad. The bowler rebuilt his workload through domestic cricket and the Caribbean Premier League before being cleared for international selection, per India Today.
Naseem's return bolsters Pakistan's fast-bowling options for the T20 format after missing recent tournaments due to injury rehabilitation.
Babar and Afridi Split From Shortest Format
Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi have been dropped from T20 cricket amid poor recent performances. At the 2026 T20 World Cup, Babar managed only 91 runs across six matches with a strike rate of 112.34—his lowest World Cup rate. Afridi posted an economy rate of 10.53 per over.
Both players remain in Pakistan's ODI squad, with Afridi captaining the 50-over tri-series. This split signals Pakistan's commitment to a youth-driven T20 rebuild while preserving experience in one-day cricket.
Hasan Nawaz and Shaun Tait Return to Pakistan Setup
Batter Hasan Nawaz has earned T20I selection after dominating the Asian Games. Nawaz finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 123 runs and scored 96 in the final against India, showing form with the bat at the highest level.
Bowling coach Shaun Tait returns for his second stint after previously holding the role from February 2022 onward. Uncapped all-rounder Mohammad Imran Randhawa also receives his maiden T20I call-up as Pakistan revamps its cricket structure.
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