Drama, controversy, and then a sudden announcement. PCB finally revealed their 15-player team yesterday. The Pakistan squad for T20 World Cup 2026 arrived after days of tension and uncertainty.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi was threatening a boycott just days ago. He supported Bangladesh’s decision to skip the tournament completely. Bangladesh cited security concerns about travelling to India for matches.
ICC got independent security experts to assess the situation properly. Both internal and external specialists found zero credible threats. Bangladesh still refused to budge on their stance though.
Big Names Missing from Squad
Mohammad Rizwan’s absence from the Pakistan squad stunned many fans. The senior wicketkeeper hasn’t played T20Is since 2024 actually. That’s over a year out of the shortest format.
Haris Rauf also got axed from the list completely. His Asia Cup 2025 final performance was absolutely terrible. The selectors clearly haven’t forgotten that nightmare bowling display.
Babar Azam somehow keeps his spot despite recent struggles everywhere. His Big Bash League stint in Australia was pretty forgettable. He left early to join national camp duties anyway.
New Leadership Takes Charge
Salman Ali Agha gets the captain’s job for this tournament. That’s a massive responsibility on his shoulders right now. Leading a team in the T20 World Cup 2026 isn’t easy.
They land in Group A with some tough opponents. Netherlands, USA, Namibia, and India fill their group. The India match will grab all the headlines obviously.
Their campaign starts on February 7 in Colombo against the Netherlands. That opening game sets the tone for everything that follows. They need a strong start badly.
Pakistan Announced Squad:
Salman Ali Agha (c), 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
The Bangladesh Controversy
Scotland replaced Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup 2026 after their withdrawal. ICC had no choice but to make that switch. Naqvi publicly backed Bangladesh and questioned the ICC’s handling of things.
He even said their participation needed government approval first. That statement shocked everyone in cricket circles honestly. A boycott looked possible for a brief moment there.
But then, the Pakistan Squad announcement was made the very next day. The boycott talk disappeared faster than morning dew. Politics and cricket mixed up messily once again.
Preparation Mode Activated
They plays three T20Is against Australia before the World Cup. These matches happen at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. January 29, 31, and February 1 are the dates.
The Pakistan squad started preparations on January 25 already. They need match practice desperately after all this drama. Australia provides perfect warm-up opposition for the T20 World Cup 2026.
The Players list mixes experience with some fresh faces strategically. Their fans hope this team delivers results finally. The tournament can’t start soon enough for them.
