Shadab Khan Returns: Pakistan has announced their squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, which begins on January 7. The biggest highlight is the return of all-rounder Shadab Khan, who has been out of action since June following shoulder surgery.
Shadab recently made his competitive comeback in the Big Bash League, where he performed better than other Pakistani players. This series will also be Pakistan’s final T20 assignment before the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
Player retention
Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi will continue playing in the Big Bash League and have not been named in the squad. Other Pakistan players currently in the BBL, including Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Rizwan, have also not been selected. All of them had earlier informed the selectors that they were ready to return from Australia if required.
Board decision
The Pakistan Cricket Board had assured Cricket Australia that all signed players would be available for the full BBL season. Because of this commitment, the PCB chose to go ahead with its existing bench strength for the Sri Lanka series. The squad will be led by Salman Ali Agha and also features uncapped batter Khawaja Nafay along with the recalled Abdul Samad.
Call-up for Khawaja Nafay
Khawaja Nafay has earned his maiden T20I call-up. The right-handed batter has scored 688 runs in 32 T20 matches at a strike rate of 132.81. He impressed while playing for the Quetta Gladiators in the latest season of the Pakistan Super League.
Nafay’s inclusion has raised some eyebrows due to his limited impact in domestic cricket. However, senior players had informed the board that playing this series would help them adjust to Sri Lankan conditions.
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq.
Get the Latest Updates at inkrisp.com. Also, follow our social media for updates on X and Instagram.