New Delhi: Captain Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were left out of Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20 series in New Zealand on Tuesday. Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the new T20 captain, replacing Rizwan, while all-rounder Shadab Khan makes his return to the squad as vice-captain.
Rizwan remains the captain of Pakistan’s ODI squad despite the team’s disappointing performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The selectors have opted against a major overhaul, retaining most of the players who underperformed in the ongoing ICC event.
Babar Azam has also been retained in the ODI squad, but batters Saud Shakeel and Kamran Ghulam have been dropped. Additionally, fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf have been sidelined from the one-day squad.
Pakistan will play five T20s and three ODIs in New Zealand, starting March 16.
The team will be without opener Saim Ayub, who is still recovering from an ankle injury, while Fakhar Zaman has also been ruled out due to an injury sustained in the first match of the Champions Trophy.
ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (VC), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Wasim Jr., Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.
T20 Squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (VC), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Muqeem.
Pakistan’s Disappointing Champions Trophy Exit: Rizwan Reflects on Setbacks
Pakistan’s campaign in the Champions Trophy ended in disappointment, with skipper Mohammad Rizwan admitting that injuries played a key role in unsettling the team’s balance.
Speaking after their exit, Rizwan acknowledged that the absence of key openers Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman due to injuries had a major impact on the team’s performance. “We wanted to do well and perform well in front of our nation. The expectations are very high. We didn’t perform well, and it is disappointing for us,” Rizwan said, as quoted by the ICC.
Highlighting the impact of Ayub’s absence, Rizwan pointed out how the young batter had been in top form across Australia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. “The team was well-balanced, and then suddenly, when someone is injured, the team will be disturbed,” he added.
Despite these setbacks, Rizwan refused to make excuses. “As a captain, you can look forward to that as well. One side you can say that the team is disturbed, but this is no excuse. Yes, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were injured, but we will learn from this,” he stated.
Pakistan’s underwhelming performance in the tournament will prompt serious introspection as they look to rebuild and address the shortcomings before upcoming assignments.
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