Intro
Salman Ali Agha to lead Pakistan as PCB confirms participation in T20 showpiece
Lahore
Pakistan on Sunday named a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, effectively ending speculation over a possible boycott after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier threatened to withdraw in solidarity with Bangladesh.
Salman Ali Agha has been appointed captain of a squad that blends experienced campaigners with several first-time entrants to a global ICC event. The tournament will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, with all of Pakistan’s group matches scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had previously indicated that Pakistan could skip the tournament after the International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh with Scotland. Bangladesh were removed following their refusal to travel to India, citing security concerns. Naqvi had said the Pakistan government would take the final call on participation, but the announcement of the squad confirms Pakistan’s presence at the event.
The squad was unveiled at a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium by PCB High Performance Director Aqib Javed, captain Agha and white-ball head coach Michael James Hesson. Aqib said the selectors had largely backed continuity, with most players also set to feature in the upcoming home T20 series against Australia.
There were no major surprises, though medium-pacer Mohammad Wasim Jr missed out. The selectors opted for a spin-heavy combination, naming specialist spinners Abrar Ahmed and mystery spinner Usman Tariq, alongside spin all-rounders Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub.
Young batter Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, who has played just one T20I, was also included, underlining the selectors’ willingness to invest in emerging talent. Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Nafay, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Sahibzada Farhan and Usman Tariq will all experience their first ICC mega-event.
Pakistan are placed in Group A and will open their campaign against the Netherlands in Colombo on February 7. The squad announcement brings clarity after weeks of uncertainty and shifts the focus firmly back to on-field preparations.
