The Pakistan Cricket Board has officially revealed its 15-player roster for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, introducing six newcomers to mega-event cricket while retaining experienced campaigners. The announcement came during a Sunday morning press conference at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium featuring PCB Director of High Performance Aqib Javed, T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, and white-ball head coach Michael Hesson.
Pakistan finds itself positioned in Group A for the tournament’s initial phase, commencing their campaign against the Netherlands on February 7th in Colombo. The 20-team competition will see each nation play four group stage matches between February 7th and March 8th, progressing through Super Eight and Knockout stages.
The selection blend combines fresh talent with seasoned professionals. Captain Salman Ali Agha leads a group of six players receiving their first major tournament call-ups: Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Sahibzada Farhan, and Usman Tariq. This infusion of new blood complements nine veterans with previous World Cup experience including star batter Babar Azam, pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, and all-rounder Shadab Khan.
Preparation begins immediately with a three-match T20I series against Australia scheduled for January 29th, 31st, and February 1st at Gaddafi Stadium, serving as crucial match practice before the global tournament. The selection strategy appears to balance explosive batting potential with versatile bowling options, particularly emphasizing all-round capabilities across the squad.
Complete Squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq.