Pakistan have removed Salman Ali Agha as T20I captain and left him out of the squad entirely, handing the leadership of the shortest format to opener Sahibzada Farhan for this month's home series against Sri Lanka.
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced the squads on Monday, confirming that the 30-year-old Farhan will captain a 15-member side in the three-match T20I series, with all three games to be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 9, 11 and 13.
Reward for a golden run of form
Farhan's elevation is a reward for a remarkable year. The right-handed opener finished as the leading run-scorer at the T20 World Cup in March with 383 runs at a strike rate of 160, and recently captained Pakistan to a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
His appointment also continues Pakistan's search for stability in the shortest format. Agha led the side in 36 T20Is with a respectable win rate, but the team's failures in high-profile tournaments — including three defeats to India at the 2025 Asia Cup and a Super Eights exit at this year's T20 World Cup — ultimately cost him the job.
Continuity in the ODI setup
While the T20I side gets a new leader, there is continuity in the 50-over format. Shaheen Shah Afridi continues as ODI captain for the tri-series involving Sri Lanka and England that begins on October 18, and Agha retains his place in that squad. Former captain Babar Azam is also part of the ODI setup but has not been picked for the T20I series.
The T20I squad mixes experience with youth: Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed are in, alongside several players retained from the Asian Games campaign, including Hasan Nawaz — who scored 96 in the Asian Games final against India — Saim Ayub, Abdul Samad and Sufiyan Moqim.
Pakistan's T20I squad: Sahibzada Farhan (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Arafat Minhas, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Maaz Sadaqat, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan, Sufiyan Moqim.
Sources:
Pakistan drop Agha as T20 captain, hand Farhan role for Sri Lanka series
Sahibzada Farhan replaces Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan's T20I captain
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced the squads on Monday, confirming that the 30-year-old Farhan will captain a 15-member side in the three-match T20I series, with all three games to be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 9, 11 and 13.
Reward for a golden run of form
Farhan's elevation is a reward for a remarkable year. The right-handed opener finished as the leading run-scorer at the T20 World Cup in March with 383 runs at a strike rate of 160, and recently captained Pakistan to a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
His appointment also continues Pakistan's search for stability in the shortest format. Agha led the side in 36 T20Is with a respectable win rate, but the team's failures in high-profile tournaments — including three defeats to India at the 2025 Asia Cup and a Super Eights exit at this year's T20 World Cup — ultimately cost him the job.
Continuity in the ODI setup
While the T20I side gets a new leader, there is continuity in the 50-over format. Shaheen Shah Afridi continues as ODI captain for the tri-series involving Sri Lanka and England that begins on October 18, and Agha retains his place in that squad. Former captain Babar Azam is also part of the ODI setup but has not been picked for the T20I series.
The T20I squad mixes experience with youth: Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed are in, alongside several players retained from the Asian Games campaign, including Hasan Nawaz — who scored 96 in the Asian Games final against India — Saim Ayub, Abdul Samad and Sufiyan Moqim.
Pakistan's T20I squad: Sahibzada Farhan (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Arafat Minhas, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Maaz Sadaqat, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan, Sufiyan Moqim.
Sources:
Pakistan drop Agha as T20 captain, hand Farhan role for Sri Lanka series
Sahibzada Farhan replaces Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan's T20I captain
