Salman Ali Agha Appointed T20I Captain as Pakistan Announces Squads for New Zealand Tour

Salman Ali Agha has been named Pakistan’s T20I captain, with Shadab Khan as vice-captain, for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled from 16-26 March. Mohammad Rizwan will continue to lead the ODI side, with Salman serving as his deputy for the three 50-over matches set to take place from 29 March to 5 April.

The appointments of Salman and Shadab aim to prepare the team for major upcoming tournaments, including the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Salman previously captained Pakistan in a T20I series against Zimbabwe last year, which Pakistan won 2-1.

To gear up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan will play a minimum of five T20Is in the ACC Asia Cup 2025 and will also face West Indies (away), Afghanistan (home), Ireland (home), South Africa (home), Sri Lanka (home), and Australia (home) in T20Is over the coming months.

Mohammad Rizwan remains the ODI captain as Pakistan builds towards the ICC Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup 2027, to be held in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe in October/November 2027.

Pakistan Squads for 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

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

Three uncapped players – Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali – have been included in the T20I squad. Akif Javed and Mohammad Ali are yet to debut in ODIs. These players earned their spots through standout performances in the Champions One-Day and T20 Cups.

Notably, openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were not considered for selection due to medical advice but are expected to be fit for HBL PSL 10. Fakhar is recovering from an intercostal muscle sprain, while Saim is healing from an ankle fracture.

Aqib Javed will continue as interim head coach for the New Zealand tour, with Mohammad Yousuf joining as batting coach. Javed’s tenure has been extended while the search for a permanent head coach is underway.

Player Support Personnel

Naveed Akram Cheema (team manager), Aqib Javed (interim head coach), Azhar Mahmood (assistant coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Mohammad Masroor (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saiman (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Butt (analyst), Irtiza Komail (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media and digital manager), Sergio Basil Mullins (masseur)

New Zealand Tour Schedule:

• 16 Mar: First T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
• 18 Mar: Second T20I, University Oval, Dunedin
• 21 Mar: Third T20I, Eden Park, Auckland
• 23 Mar: Fourth T20I, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
• 26 Mar: Fifth T20I, Sky Stadium, Wellington
• 29 Mar: First ODI, McLean Park, Napier
• 2 Apr: Second ODI, Seddon Park, Hamilton
• 5 Apr: Third ODI, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui