Pakistan has dropped Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand, with Salman Ali Agha being appointed as the new T20I captain. Despite this, Rizwan will continue to lead the ODI side, with Babar also included in the squad. Shaheen Shah Afridi, however, has been excluded from the 50-over format.
The changes follow Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the Champions Trophy, where the defending champions were eliminated in the group stage.
The New Zealand tour is scheduled from March 16 to April 5, with the T20I series set to run from March 16-26, followed by the ODI series from March 29 to April 5.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the decision to appoint Salman Ali Agha as T20I captain and Shadab Khan as vice-captain is made with a focus on upcoming major tournaments, including the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Salman previously captained Pakistan in a T20I series against Zimbabwe last year, leading them to a 2-1 victory.
The PCB also confirmed that Rizwan will remain the ODI captain as Pakistan prepares for the ICC Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be held in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
New Faces in T20I and ODI Squads
The T20I squad sees the inclusion of three uncapped players—Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali. Additionally, Akif Javed and Mohammad Ali have been selected for the ODI squad, marking their first appearances in the format. These players were rewarded for their standout performances in the Champions One-Day and T20 Cups.
In the Champions T20 Cup, Samad scored 115 runs at a strike rate of 166.67 and 145 runs at a strike rate of 122.88 in the Champions One-Day Cup. Nawaz finished as the second-leading run-scorer in the Champions T20 Cup with 312 runs at a strike rate of 142.47, while Ali claimed 22 wickets in the T20 tournament. Akif Javed impressed with seven wickets in five Champions One-Day Cup matches and 15 wickets in the Champions T20 Cup.
Injury Updates: Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub
Openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub have not been selected for either format due to injuries. Fakhar is recovering from a left lower intercostal muscle sprain sustained during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand. Saim is rehabilitating from a right ankle fracture he suffered during the Cape Town Test against South Africa in January. Both are expected to be fit for the HBL Pakistan Super League 10, starting April 11, 2025, in Rawalpindi.
Coaching Staff
Aqib Javed will continue as the interim head coach for the New Zealand tour, as his term was extended following the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Mohammad Yousuf has been appointed as batting coach.
Squads:
T20I: Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim
ODI: Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha (vc), 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 following the T20Is.
New Zealand Tour Schedule:
- March 16 – First T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
- March 18 – Second T20I, University Oval, Dunedin
- March 21 – Third T20I, Eden Park, Auckland
- March 23 – Fourth T20I, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
- March 26 – Fifth T20I, Sky Stadium, Wellington
- March 29 – First ODI, McLean Park, Napier
- April 2 – Second ODI, Seddon Park, Hamilton
- April 5 – Third ODI, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
