Salman Ali Agha Named Pakistan’s T20I Captain for New Zealand Series, Shadab Khan as Vice-Captain

Pakistan has appointed Salman Ali Agha as the new T20I captain and Shadab Khan as vice-captain for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled from March 16-26, 2025. Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan will continue as Pakistan’s ODI captain, with Salman serving as his deputy for the three-match ODI series from March 29 to April 5.

Pakistan’s Long-Term Strategy for T20I Leadership

The decision to appoint Salman and Shadab in leadership roles aligns with Pakistan’s preparations for two major upcoming tournaments:

• ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 (September 2025)
• ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (February/March 2026)

Salman previously led Pakistan to a 2-1 series win against Zimbabwe and will now guide the team through a crucial phase of international T20 cricket.

Pakistan’s T20I and ODI Fixtures Before T20 World Cup 2026

In preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan is set to play multiple T20I series, including:
✅ ACC Asia Cup 2025 (minimum five T20Is)
✅ Bangladesh (home, May 2025)
✅ West Indies (away, July 2025)
✅ Afghanistan (home, August 2025)
✅ Ireland (home, September 2025)
✅ South Africa (home, September/October 2025)
✅ Sri Lanka (home, November 2025)
✅ Australia (home, January 2026)

Meanwhile, Pakistan is also focused on the ICC Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup 2027, set to take place in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe in October/November 2027.

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Pakistan Squads for the New Zealand Tour

T20I Squad:

🔹 Salman Ali Agha (captain)
🔹 Shadab Khan (vice-captain)
🔹 Abdul Samad
🔹 Abrar Ahmed
🔹 Haris Rauf
🔹 Hasan Nawaz
🔹 Jahandad Khan
🔹 Khushdil Shah
🔹 Mohammad Abbas Afridi
🔹 Mohammad Ali
🔹 Mohammad Haris
🔹 Muhammad Irfan Khan
🔹 Omair Bin Yousaf
🔹 Shaheen Shah Afridi
🔹 Sufyan Moqim
🔹 Usman Khan

Uncapped Players: Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali

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ODI Squad:

🔹 Mohammad Rizwan (captain)
🔹 Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain)
🔹 Abdullah Shafique
🔹 Abrar Ahmed
🔹 Akif Javed
🔹 Babar Azam
🔹 Faheem Ashraf
🔹 Imam-ul-Haq
🔹 Khushdil Shah
🔹 Mohammad Ali
🔹 Mohammad Wasim Jnr
🔹 Muhammad Irfan Khan
🔹 Naseem Shah
🔹 Sufyan Moqim
🔹 Tayyab Tahir

A wicketkeeper-batter will be added to the ODI squad after the T20Is.

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Rising Stars Earn Call-Ups

Several young talents have been rewarded for their standout performances in domestic tournaments:
✅ Abdul Samad – Scored 115 runs at a 166.67 strike rate in the Champions T20 Cup
✅ Hasan Nawaz – Finished second-highest run-scorer with 312 runs at a 142.47 strike rate
✅ Mohammad Ali – Led the Champions T20 Cup with 22 wickets
✅ Akif Javed – Took 15 wickets in the Champions T20 Cup and impressed in the One-Day format

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Injury Updates: Fakhar Zaman & Saim Ayub

🔴 Fakhar Zaman – Left lower intercostal muscle sprain sustained during ICC Champions Trophy 2025
🔴 Saim Ayub – Recovering from right ankle fracture suffered in the Cape Town Test against South Africa

Both players are expected to be fully fit for PSL 10, which begins on April 11, 2025, in Rawalpindi.

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Coaching & Support Staff for New Zealand Tour

👔 Aqib Javed – Interim Head Coach (tenure extended while search for a permanent coach continues)
🏏 Mohammad Yousuf – Batting Coach
🛡 Azhar Mahmood – Assistant Coach
⚡ Mohammad Masroor – Fielding Coach
👨‍⚕️ Dr Wajid Ali Rafai – Team Doctor

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Pakistan vs. New Zealand Tour Schedule

📅 T20I Series:
🔹 March 16 – 1st T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
🔹 March 18 – 2nd T20I, University Oval, Dunedin
🔹 March 21 – 3rd T20I, Eden Park, Auckland
🔹 March 23 – 4th T20I, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
🔹 March 26 – 5th T20I, Sky Stadium, Wellington

📅 ODI Series:
🔹 March 29 – 1st ODI, McLean Park, Napier
🔹 April 2 – 2nd ODI, Seddon Park, Hamilton
🔹 April 5 – 3rd ODI, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

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With a new leadership duo in Salman Ali Agha and Shadab Khan, and exciting young talents in the squad, Pakistan looks to make a strong statement against New Zealand as they build toward T20 World Cup 2026 and ODI World Cup 2027.

So much Cricket!!!