New-look Pakistan squad announced for Bangladesh T20I series

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced a 16-member national squad for the upcoming three-match T20 series against Bangladesh.

Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the team as captain, with Shadab Khan named vice-captain.

The series marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s new head coach, Mike Hesson, who will be taking charge of the national side for the first time in an international assignment.

The squad selection follows the conclusion of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 10 on May 25, with players chosen based on their recent performances in the tournament. Notably, prominent players such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi have been left out of the squad, signaling a strategic focus on fresh talent and future team development.

Pakistan’s 16-member T20 squad:

• Salman Ali Agha (captain)

• Shadab Khan (vice-captain)

• Abrar Ahmed

• Faheem Ashraf

• Fakhar Zaman

• Haris Rauf

• Hassan Ali

• Hassan Nawaz

• Hussain Talat

• Khushdil Shah

• Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper)

• Mohammad Wasim Jr

• Mohammad Irfan Khan

• Naseem Shah

• Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper)

• Saim Ayub

The PCB described the squad as a balanced mix of experienced campaigners and young talent, aimed at building a competitive team for future international challenges. The series against Bangladesh will serve as an important platform for emerging players to showcase their skills at the highest level.

All three matches will be held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, with the full schedule and match timings expected to be announced shortly.

This series will also test the leadership of Salman Ali Agha, who has retained his captaincy role following strong performances in recent domestic and PSL fixtures.

The announcement has generated excitement among cricket fans in Pakistan, eager to see how the young squad performs against a competitive Bangladesh side on home soil.