The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced significant changes to its cricket squad as it prepares for the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand, which will take place from March 16 to April 5, 2025. This series will feature five T20 Internationals followed by three One Day Internationals.
Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the captain of the T20 team, taking over the reins from Mohammad Rizwan, who, nevertheless, maintains his role as the captain of the ODI side. Agha will be supported by Shadab Khan, who has been named the vice-captain for the T20 matches. The PCB has expressed these selections are part of their long-term strategy as they look forward to major tournaments like the ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.
This reshuffle follows the team's disappointing performance at the recent ICC Champions Trophy, where they failed to win any matches, exiting the tournament at the group stage. The decision to appoint Agha as captain is expected to bring fresh energy and approach to the T20 format, especially considering he previously led Pakistan to victory against Zimbabwe when he took charge last year.
“We need to play fearless and aggressive cricket in the T20 format and that's why we have brought in new players,” stated interim head coach Aaqib Javed during the announcement. He emphasized the need for the team to adapt to the modern pace of T20 cricket, where high scores have become the norm.
Alongside Agha, the T20I squad has introduced several new faces, which includes players like Abdul Samad, who showed promise during domestic tournaments, and Hasan Nawaz, who has performed commendably in local leagues. The T20 lineup will also feature seasoned players such as Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi, the latter of whom has been retained for the T20 squad but is notable for being dropped from the ODI selections.
The ODI squad remains relatively stable compared to the T20 setup, with several players remaining from the Champions Trophy team. Rizwan's retention as the ODI captain indicates the board's trust in his leadership, even as they look to refine the T20 side. Alongside him, Babar Azam also continues to be part of the ODI setup after his exclusion from the T20 team. Other notable exclusions from the ODI lineup include Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, both of whom were integral parts of the team but have been replaced to give space for fresh talents.
The upcoming series against New Zealand not only serves as preparation for the Asian Cup and World Cup but also tests the newer players and strategies the PCB aims to implement. Another hurdle the team faces is the absence of key players due to injuries, with opener Fakhar Zaman out with injury and Saim Ayub yet to recover from his own ankle issues.
Looking at the future, Pakistan's management is clearly placing emphasis on building a strong foundation for the T20 format, believing the new leadership and player roster will yield positive results leading up to the major tournaments later this year and beyond. With the combination of seasoned talent and promising newcomers, the PCB senses renewed hope for the upcoming cricketing challenges.
Pakistan's squads for the New Zealand series are as follows:
T20I Squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, and Usman Khan.
ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Muqeem, and Tayyab Tahir.
With matches commencing on March 16, cricket enthusiasts will be eager to see how this newly restructured team performs.