“Young Players Have a Golden Opportunity to Shine” – Salman Ali Agha
With the 2026 T20 World Cup in focus, Pakistan fields a fresh squad for the New Zealand tour
📍 New Delhi, March 15: After a disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, Pakistan is set for a fresh start in New Zealand with a revamped T20I squad led by newly-appointed captain Salman Ali Agha. The five-match T20I series, followed by three ODIs, marks the beginning of Pakistan’s preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026.
With key players Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman ruled out due to injuries, Pakistan has called up three uncapped players – Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali, rewarding their impressive domestic performances.
📢 “We have some young players in the side, and it is an opportunity for them to showcase their talent at the international level after performing well in domestic cricket,” Agha said via PCB.
🔹 Salman Agha Confident Ahead of New Zealand Challenge
🏏 Pakistan’s Recent T20I Record Against New Zealand:
✔️ Total Matches: 44
✔️ Pakistan Wins: 23
✔️ New Zealand Wins: 19
✔️ Last T20I Series: 2-2 Draw (2024)
Salman Agha, who guided Pakistan to a 2-1 T20I series win against Zimbabwe in his debut series as captain, remains optimistic about their chances in New Zealand.
📢 “The team’s preparations are going well, and we will try to produce better results in New Zealand,” he stated.
Pakistan is looking to identify a strong core for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 and the T20 World Cup 2026, making this tour crucial for young players to prove their mettle.
🔹 Pakistan Squads for New Zealand Tour
🇵🇰 T20I Squad:
📌 Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan, 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, Usman Khan
🇵🇰 ODI Squad:
📌 Mohammad Rizwan (c), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Irfan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir
🔹 New Zealand vs Pakistan – Full Schedule
📆 T20I Series:
🏏 1st T20I – 16 March, Christchurch
🏏 2nd T20I – 18 March, Dunedin
🏏 3rd T20I – 21 March, Auckland
🏏 4th T20I – 23 March, Mount Maunganui
🏏 5th T20I – 26 March, Wellington
📆 ODI Series:
🏏 1st ODI – 29 March, Napier
🏏 2nd ODI – 2 April, Hamilton
🏏 3rd ODI – 5 April, Mount Maunganui
🔹 Key Talking Points Ahead of the Tour
🔴 Young Players Under the Spotlight: With uncapped players getting opportunities, all eyes will be on how they perform at the international level.
🔴 Salman Agha’s Leadership: This will be Agha’s first major test as Pakistan’s full-time T20I captain, making it a crucial series for his captaincy credentials.
🔴 World Cup Preparations: With the T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, Pakistan will be looking to identify a settled squad and address weaknesses from past tournaments.