Agha Affirms Senior Players’ Role Until T20 World Cup 2026

KARACHI: Salman Ali Agha, the Pakistan team captain, stated on Monday that seasoned players Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi are essential to the national squad. These players are among a core group of 25 who are being considered for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka next year.

Agha addressed the media during the white-ball and pre-Bangladesh series camp here. He clarified the future participation of the senior trio, who were not included in the Pakistan team for the upcoming series in Dhaka from July 20–24, after being questioned about it.

Babar and Rizwan last played in a T20I match for the national team in the away series against South Africa in December of last year. Shaheen participated in the five-match series in New Zealand in March.

Their absence from the green shirts’ most recent T20I games raised concerns about their future, particularly in the shortest format. However, Agha restated that the management still intends to use the senior trio for the T20 World Cup the following year.

Agha stated, “We need players who can step in for anyone at any moment, therefore we are building up our bench strength.”

“As part of our strategy for upcoming matches, we have created a shortlist of 25 players who will be considered for the team until the T20 World Cup.

“Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan are seasoned players, and they are included in the pool.”

Agha also spoke about Mohammad Nawaz’s selection for the next away series, which drew criticism due to his subpar performances in the domestic circuit and the previous two Pakistan Super League (PSL) seasons.

The 31-year-old clarified that Nawaz was chosen to replace vice-captain Shadab Khan, who underwent shoulder surgery in the United Kingdom (UK). Khan is anticipated to be sidelined for three months.

“Nawaz was chosen as a result of Shadab’s injury. According to Agha, performance fluctuates, which is why it’s crucial to assess a player’s talent.

Salman Ali Agha also discussed the upcoming series, acknowledging the difficulties the Bangladesh team presents when playing at home.

He went on to say that the training camp was held here in order to simulate the circumstances of the upcoming games.

“The training camp was conducted in Karachi with the conditions of the upcoming matches in mind. We are well-prepared for the next series because Bangladesh can be a formidable opponent in their home conditions,” Agha concluded.