Babar, Rizwan, and Naseem Left Out of Pakistan’s T20 Squad for New Zealand Tour
Speculation had been swirling ever since Pakistan’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy—rumors that some of the team’s biggest names, including Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, might be dropped from the squad.
Now, the rumors have turned out to be partially true. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been left out of Pakistan’s T20 squad for the upcoming New Zealand tour, while pacer Naseem Shah has also been excluded from the shortest format. However, Rizwan will continue to lead the ODI team, where both Babar and Naseem remain included. Interestingly, star pacer Shaheen Afridi has not been named in the ODI squad.
Pakistan is set to play five T20Is and three ODIs against New Zealand from March 16 to April 5. In preparation for the series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 16-member T20 squad and a 15-member ODI squad. The board has also stated that an additional player will be added to the ODI squad after the T20 series.
Agha Salman has been appointed as the T20 captain, while Shadab Khan, returning to the squad after nearly nine months, will serve as vice-captain. The squad also includes six players who recently featured in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Interim head coach Aqib Javed will continue in his role for the New Zealand tour, with Mohammad Yousuf taking over as the batting coach.
Pakistan’s T20 Squad
Agha Salman (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.
Pakistan’s ODI Squad
Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Agha Salman (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.
