Pakistan's T20I Squad Announced for Bangladesh Series Without Key Players

Pakistan's T20I Team Set for Bangladesh Series

Islamabad, July 8: Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, taking place in Mirpur, Dhaka from July 20 to 24. The squad will be without all-rounder Shadab Khan and fast bowler Haris Rauf.

This series marks the second assignment for white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, and the team has seen a reduction in squad size compared to their previous T20I series against Bangladesh in May, where they achieved a clean sweep with a 3-0 victory. The team is currently focused on identifying the optimal lineup for the T20 World Cup scheduled for next year in India and Sri Lanka.

Shadab Khan is sidelined due to recent shoulder surgery and is currently undergoing rehabilitation. Meanwhile, Rauf is dealing with a hamstring injury that has also kept him out of the San Francisco Unicorns' MLC 2025 playoff matches. Notably, former key players Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah have been omitted from this squad.

The bowling lineup appears to lack seasoned players, with medium pacer Ahmed Daniyal and left-arm fast bowler Salman Mirza yet to earn their first international caps. Additionally, left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem has limited experience, having played only 10 T20Is.

Top-order batsman Hasan Nawaz debuted earlier this year and has participated in eight T20I matches. Abbas Afridi, a medium pacer, has more experience with 21 T20I appearances since making his international debut last year.

Abbas excelled in Pakistan's premier T20 league, the PSL, where he finished as the fourth-highest wicket-taker, claiming 17 wickets in 11 innings while playing for Karachi Kings. Salman Mirza also had a notable performance, taking nine wickets in four matches for Lahore Qalandars. Nawaz showcased his form, concluding the PSL as the third-highest run-scorer with 399 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 162.19 while representing Quetta Gladiators.

The Pakistan squad for the T20I series against Bangladesh includes: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufiyan Muqeem.