Pakistan have made major changes to their T20I team, removing Salman Ali Agha as captain and dropping senior players Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi from the squad for the upcoming three-match series against Sri Lanka.
Sahibzada Farhan has been appointed Pakistan’s permanent T20I captain. The decision marks a major change in the team’s leadership as Pakistan look to move forward with a new combination in the shortest format.
Despite losing their places in the T20I side, Babar, Afridi and Agha have all retained their spots in the ODI squad.
Farhan recently led Pakistan at the 2026 Asian Games, where the team finished with a silver medal after losing the final to India by 19 runs. The right-handed batter is currently ranked third in the ICC T20I batting rankings.
Agha was appointed captain ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. However, Pakistan’s defeat in the final of that tournament and their early exit from the T20 World Cup put his leadership under pressure. His batting performances also came under scrutiny in the fast-paced T20 format.
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Several New Faces in Pakistan’s T20I Squad
Pakistan’s T20I squad for the Sri Lanka series features several new faces, with the selectors making significant changes to the team that played in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Maaz Sadaqat, Razaullah and Mohammad Salman Mirza have earned places in the squad.
Meanwhile, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Khan and Usman Tariq have been left out, along with Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Afridi.
The squad has some similarities with the team that represented Pakistan at the Asian Games. However, that side was primarily put together to give opportunities to players on the fringes of the national setup.
Pakistan’s T20I Squad for Sri Lanka Series
Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Arafat Minhas, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Maaz Sadaqat, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Moqim.
Pakistan Also Make Changes to ODI Squad
Pakistan have also made several changes to their ODI squad following their previous series against Australia.
Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Razaullah and Saad Baig have been brought into the ODI setup. On the other hand, Abdul Samad, Ahmed Daniyal, Maaz Sadaqat, Rohail Nazir, Sahibzada Farhan and Shamyl Hussain have been dropped.
Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the ODI team, while Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha have also retained their places in the squad.
Pakistan’s ODI Squad
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Moqim.
Pakistan Announce Coaching Staff for Sri Lanka Tour
Pakistan have also confirmed their support staff for the upcoming assignments.
Shaun Tait will take charge of the bowling department, while Michael Smith and Mansoor Amjad will work as batting and fielding coaches, respectively.
Muhammad Tahir has been appointed physiotherapist, with Grant Luden taking responsibility for strength and conditioning.
Nabeel Edger Pace will serve as the analyst for the Sri Lanka T20I series, while Usman Hashmi will take up the same role for the ODI tri-series.