Pakistan’s restructured T20 squad has started arriving in Dubai ahead of the upcoming Tri-Nation series and Asia Cup. With senior stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan absent from the squad and a fresh central contract system in place, the team is now under the leadership of Salman Agha. Players are assembling from Wednesday, with training sessions scheduled to begin at the ICC Academy on Thursday.
The tri-series, featuring Afghanistan and hosts UAE, kicks off on August 29 at Sharjah, with the final to be played on September 7. Pakistan will then begin their Asia Cup campaign on September 12 against Oman in Dubai, before their highly anticipated clash with India on September 14.
Squad Reshuffle and Contracts
Despite their previous success, Babar Azam and Rizwan have been excluded from the T20 squad. According to the management, the decision is part of long-term planning, with focus on players currently in form.
In a major shake-up, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also restructured central contracts, ending the long-standing A-category after more than two decades. Both Babar and Rizwan have been moved to B-category contracts, along with Salman Agha, Fakhar Zaman, Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Key Returns and Preparations
The squad has been boosted by the return of fast bowlers Mohammad Wasim and Salman Mirza, alongside opener Fakhar Zaman, who missed the recent ODI series due to injury.
Pakistan recently clinched the T20I series 2-1 against the West Indies in the United States, but suffered a heavy defeat in the final ODI in Trinidad, where they were bowled out for 92 while chasing 294. That loss gave the Caribbean side their first bilateral ODI series win over Pakistan since 1991.
The men in green will now hold practice matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in addition to training at the ICC Academy as they prepare for the challenges ahead.
Pakistan T20 Squad:
Salman Agha (captain), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim.
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