Pakistan’s T20I squad is undergoing a significant transformation as Captain Salman Ali Agha prepares to lead a refreshed team against South Africa in a three-match series, kicking off this Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The series marks the much-awaited return of cricket superstars Babar Azam and Naseem Shah, alongside potential debutants Usman Tariq and Usman Khan. This crucial series is a vital stepping stone in Pakistan’s journey towards the T20 World Cup 2026, as they look to fine-tune their strategy and team dynamics.
Agha expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I believe we have a highly interesting and exciting team, blending experienced comebacks with promising new faces. I’m incredibly excited to lead this squad, and we’re truly hoping for a fantastic series.”
Pakistan’s recent T20I form has been a mixed bag of results. They secured a dominant 3-0 home series victory against Bangladesh in May, only to suffer a 2-1 defeat in an away series against the same opponent in July. However, the team quickly bounced back, clinching a 2-1 victory over West Indies in August and triumphing in a tri-series featuring Afghanistan and UAE. Despite these successes, they faced challenges in their encounters with India, losing three matches and missing out on the Asia Cup title.
Emphasizing the team’s potential, Salman added, “We had a fantastic series against Bangladesh at home, and I am hopeful for good results in the upcoming series as well. We just want to execute our plans for a longer period. As I always say, we have a great team — a team that can beat any side. Obviously, South Africa are a very good side; they have a few misses, but still possess a lot of talent.”
The full Pakistan T20I squad is as follows: Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq. Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and Sufiyan Moqim are listed as reserve players for the series.