Pakistan will play all their T20 World Cup 2026 games in Sri Lanka, including semi-final and final.
Star batter Babar Azam keeps his spot, while senior pacer Haris Rauf and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan have been left out of the 15-member Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 squad. The announcement came a day after PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi publicly supported Bangladesh following their removal from the ICC tournament.
The T20 World Cup 2026 begins on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka. Notably, Pakistan are scheduled to play all their games in Sri Lanka, including the semi-final and final, if qualified.
Salman Ali Agha will lead the Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 squad, which features a nice blend of experienced and young players, as they seek a second title.
Babar Azam, who recently became the all-time leading run-scorer in men’s T20Is, will provide the stability to Pakistan’s batting lineup alongside aggressive batters like Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, and Sahibzada Farhan. Despite a tough run in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26, the selectors trust his experience and skill on the world stage.
On the other hand, Haris Rauf’s snub indicates a shift in the team’s strategy in the shortest format under the head coach Mike Hesson. Notably, Rauf hasn’t played a single T20I game for Pakistan since their Asia Cup 2025 final defeat. Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi will spearhead the Pakistan pace attack with Naseem Shah, Mohammad Salman Mirza, and Usman Tariq providing support from the other end.
All-rounders Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Faheem Ashraf add further depth. Abrar Ahmed adds mystery to the spin attack, especially for controlling the middle overs. Mohammad Nafey, who has played only one T20I for Pakistan, has also been named ahead of Mohammad Rizwan, who has played over 100 games.
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Pakistan are placed in Group A with arch-rivals India, as well as the Netherlands, the USA, and Namibia. The Men in Green will begin their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo.
Before the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan will host Australia for a three-match T20I series at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, set for January 29, 31, and February 1. The series will mark Pakistan’s final preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026.
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq.
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