Key Points
- PCB announces 15-member squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
- Salman Ali Agha to lead Pakistan in the 20-team tournament
- Six players earn maiden ICC mega-event call-ups
- Pakistan to open campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, placing its faith in a mix of emerging talent and experienced campaigners for the global event scheduled from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.
The squad was unveiled at a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, addressed by PCB Director High Performance and national selection committee member Aqib Javed, Pakistan’s T20I captain, Salman Ali Agha and white-ball head coach Michael James Hesson.
“We have selected a squad that offers flexibility and balance for conditions we expect in the tournament,” Aqib Javed said. “Our focus was on players who have shown consistency, adaptability and the temperament required for a World Cup.”
Salman Ali Agha, who will lead Pakistan for the first time in an ICC event, said the team was fully focused on preparation and execution. “It is an honour to captain Pakistan at a World Cup. We have a talented group, and we aim to play fearless cricket and take the momentum into the later stages,” he said.
Six players — Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Sahibzada Farhan and Usman Tariq — have earned their maiden call-ups for an ICC mega event, reflecting the selectors’ intent to broaden Pakistan’s white-ball core.
The remaining members of the squad — Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Usman Khan — bring prior T20 World Cup experience, having featured in one or more editions since 2021.
Pakistan are placed in Group A and will begin their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo. Each team will play four group matches before the Super Eight and knockout stages.
As part of the preparations, Pakistan will host Australia in a three-match T20I series at Gaddafi Stadium on January 29, 31, and February 1, with the World Cup training camp commencing on Friday.
The complete squad is as follows:
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 (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq.
