Pakistan Name T20 World Cup Squad

PCB names 15-man team despite earlier boycott threat; final call rests with Pakistan government

January 25, 2026: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, signalling a softening of its earlier stance to boycott the tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh. The decision comes weeks after PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi warned of a possible withdrawal following the ICC’s move to replace Bangladesh with Scotland due to security concerns over travel to India. While the squad announcement indicates readiness to participate, PCB officials clarified that the final decision will be taken by the Pakistan government. All of Pakistan’s group-stage matches are scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka.

The squad was unveiled at a press conference at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium by High Performance Director Aaqib Javed, alongside white-ball head coach Michael James Hesson and selector Salman Ali Agha. Javed stressed that selectors had fulfilled their responsibility but participation was still not guaranteed. Salman Ali Agha has been named captain, with no major surprises in selection, as the squad largely mirrors the group set to face Australia in a home T20 series later this month. Medium pacer Mohammad Wasim Jr was the notable omission.

The team features a mix of experience and fresh faces, including maiden T20 World Cup call-ups for Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Sahibzada Farhan and Usman Tariq. Established names such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah add stability, while spinners Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq bolster the bowling attack. Pakistan will open their Group A campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo.