Pakistan Drops Babar Azam & Mohammad Rizwan for T20 Series Against New Zealand in Major Squad Revamp

Salman Ali Agha to Lead in T20s; Rizwan Retains ODI Captaincy as PCB Prioritizes Aggressive Cricket

Lahore, March 5 – In a bold and surprising move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has left out former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20 squad for the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand, signaling a major shake-up in their shortest-format strategy. The decision, aimed at introducing an aggressive and fearless brand of cricket, has paved the way for several fresh faces in the national team.

While Rizwan has been retained as captain for the ODI series starting March 29, the T20 squad will be led by Salman Ali Agha, with Shadab Khan serving as vice-captain. The revamp comes after Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the Champions Trophy, where they finished fourth in their group, suffering defeats against New Zealand and India.

"We need to play fearless and aggressive cricket in the T20 format, and that’s why we have brought in new players," Pakistan’s interim head coach Aaqib Javed told reporters. "Nowadays, teams are scoring over 200 runs regularly in T20 cricket, and we need batters who can maximize the powerplay and play big shots."

With Pakistan set to face New Zealand in five T20Is starting March 16, the new-look squad reflects a shift towards power-hitting and youth development, while the ODI squad retains some experienced names as Pakistan looks to rebuild ahead of future ICC tournaments.

A Major Shift: Why Were Babar Azam & Rizwan Dropped from the T20 Squad?

The exclusion of Pakistan’s two most consistent batters in recent years from the T20 squad has raised eyebrows, given their contributions to the national team. However, the PCB’s decision appears to be based on a strategic shift towards aggressive cricket.

Key reasons behind the decision:

???? Strike Rate Concerns: While both Babar and Rizwan have been prolific in T20s, critics argue their relatively lower strike rates slow down Pakistan’s scoring in powerplays, a crucial phase in modern T20 cricket.

???? Testing New Talent: With the T20 World Cup approaching, Pakistan is experimenting with young, hard-hitting batters who can attack from ball one.

???? Leadership Transition: The PCB is seemingly shifting leadership responsibilities, giving Salman Ali Agha a chance to prove his captaincy credentials in the shortest format.

While Rizwan retains his ODI captaincy, the decision to remove him from T20s suggests that Pakistan is looking to groom a new T20 leader with a more aggressive playing style.

New Faces & Returning Players: A Fresh-Look Pakistan Squad

Uncapped Players Given a Chance to Shine

Pakistan’s T20 squad for the New Zealand series includes three uncapped players, rewarding standout performers from the domestic T20 Champions Cup:

⭐ Abdul Samad – A powerful middle-order batter who scored 115 runs at a blistering strike rate of 166.67.
⭐ Hasan Nawaz – A talented opener who was the second-highest run-getter in the domestic T20 tournament with 312 runs.
⭐ Mohammad Ali – A right-arm fast bowler who topped the bowling charts with 22 wickets in the same competition.

The selection of these players reflects PCB’s intent to introduce young talent into the national setup and give them exposure in international cricket.

Squad Changes in ODIs: Selectors Opt for Stability, But Make Key Adjustments

While the ODI squad retains a more familiar core, some major exclusions include:

???? Haris Rauf & Shaheen Afridi – Both fast bowlers have been dropped for the ODI series, raising speculation that the PCB wants to manage their workloads ahead of future tournaments.
???? Kamran Ghulam & Saud Shakeel – The two top-order batters were left out, with Abdullah Shafique recalled despite his poor run in the Champions Trophy, where he registered three consecutive ducks.

With Pakistan’s early Champions Trophy exit prompting major changes, selectors seem to be prioritizing new strategies, fresh combinations, and long-term rebuilding.

Pakistan Squads for New Zealand Tour

T20 Squad (March 16 Onwards)

???? Salman Ali Agha (C), Shadab Khan (VC), Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan

ODI Squad (March 29 Onwards)

???? Mohammad Rizwan (C), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Irfan Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir

Pakistan’s New Approach: Will It Pay Off?

???? Will Pakistan’s aggressive T20 strategy succeed, or will the absence of Babar & Rizwan hurt their stability?
???? Is Salman Ali Agha the future of Pakistan’s T20 captaincy?
???? Can Pakistan’s ODI team bounce back after their Champions Trophy disappointment?

With a fresh-looking squad and new leadership dynamics, Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand is set to shape the future of its white-ball teams. Fans and analysts will closely watch whether these bold changes yield positive results or if Pakistan will struggle without its experienced campaigners.