Pakistan on Sunday unveiled a significantly altered T20I squad for the forthcoming three-match series in Sri Lanka, with a host of key players, including Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, omitted due to their commitments in Australia”s domestic Big Bash League.
Regulars Haris Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan are also among the high-profile absentees. In their place, a new-look team will be led by skipper Salman Ali Agha and features the return of all-rounder Shadab Khan.
The 15-player line-up includes a maiden call-up for uncapped keeper-batter Khawaja Nafay, who has earned his first selection for the national team.
This series is a critical opportunity for Pakistan to finalise its playing group ahead of the ICC Men”s T20 World Cup, which commences on February 7.
For the global tournament, Pakistan is drawn in Group B and will compete against India, Namibia, Netherlands, and the USA during the event”s first round.
The full Pakistan squad includes: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq.
All three T20I matches are scheduled to be played in Dambulla, with fixtures on January 7, January 9, and January 11.