Pakistan cricket fans love a good plot twist, and the selectors have provided one by unveiling a Pakistan T20 squad for the Sri Lanka series that doesn’t include poster boys Babar Azam or Shaheen Afridi.
The buzz is in response to the announcement by the Pakistan Cricket Board on 28 December 2025 of a new-look 15-man squad to visit Sri Lanka in a three-match tour next month, with the surprise announcement of the return of leg-spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan and the uncapped inclusion of Khawaja Nafay as keeper-batter. This reshuffle matters because it offers a rare glimpse of Pakistan’s bench strength ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as well.
Pakistan T20 squad for Sri Lanka series: New faces, Big Absences
The headlines are dominated by who isn’t going rather than who is. Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are staying in Australia to play the Big Bash League, and other BBL players like Haris Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan are not taking the trip as well.
These senior players have been carefully rotated by the selectors to explore other options for the Pakistan T20 team and to handle workloads before a hectic year. Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan’s busiest T20 cricketer this year with 34 international appearances, retains the captaincy.
More intriguingly, Shadab Khan makes his long-awaited return. The 27-year-old underwent shoulder surgery after Pakistan’s home series against Bangladesh and completed rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy before turning out in the Big Bash League. His leg-spin and explosive batting could add balance to the side that often leaned heavily on pace.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Khawaja Nafay gets a maiden call-up in the Pakistan T20 squad, as he has played 32 T20 matches at a brisk strike rate of 132.81 Here is the brief list of the squad for the T20I series against Sri Lanka:
| Category | Players |
| Batters & Keepers | Salman Ali Agha (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan |
| All-rounders | Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Abdul Samad |
| Spinners | Abrar Ahmad, Shadab Khan (leg-spin) |
| Pacers | Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Usman Tariq |
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Key Omissions and the Return of Shadab Khan
The fact that Babar and Shaheen did not make it to the Pakistan T20 team can be considered unfair to the majority of fans, but the decision to make this move is justified as well. Both of them are under contract with the Big Bash League, while the team is planning to increase the scope of players in the run-up to the T20 World Cup 2026, too.
However, Shadab’s comeback feels like a redemption arc. He last appeared in June, bowled a tidy spell against Bangladesh, then went under the knife to fix a nagging shoulder issue. Critics wondered if Pakistan would miss his all-round skills, especially when the team struggled with spin options.
After ticking off his rehab markers at the NCA and warming up in Australia’s Big Bash, he now resurfaces as a potential match-winner. For a team that has often leaned on pace heavyweights, his ability to grip and rip the ball on Dambulla’s slow surfaces could prove decisive. The question is whether Shadab can quickly shake off rust and deliver under pressure.
Tour Schedule and Stakes for the World Cup
The Pakistan T20 squad for the Sri Lanka series will leave for Dambulla in early January. The three T20Is are scheduled at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on 7, 9 and 11 January. Played in the middle of Sri Lanka’s dry season, the pitch is expected to offer spin and low bounce – conditions Pakistan rarely encounter at home.
| Match | Date | Venue |
| First T20I | January 7 | Dambulla |
| Second T20I | January 9 | Dambulla |
| Third T20I | January 11 | Dambulla |
These games serve as Pakistan’s final competitive outing before the T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March. Pakistan is drawn in Group B alongside India, Namibia, the Netherlands and the USA.
The match and line-up of Pakistan vs SL is going to be interesting after their recent T20 bilateral series match.
With all their World Cup matches scheduled in Colombo, playing in Dambulla gives them a chance to acclimatize to Sri Lankan conditions without burning out key bowlers.
Sri Lanka’s Squad and Leadership Shake-Up
While Pakistan experiments with its line-up, Sri Lanka has their own drama. A recent shake-up saw the Sri Lanka Cricket board remove Charith Asalanka from the T20I captaincy, appointing experienced all-rounder Dasun Shanaka to lead a 25-man preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup.
In addition to this, Sri Lanka’s provisional list features a mix of familiar names and emerging talents. Here are some of the notable players included in the 25-man group:
| Category | Players |
| Top-order Batters & Wicketkeepers | Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Niroshan Dickwella (wk) |
| Middle-order Batters | Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige |
| All-rounders | Dasun Shanaka (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage |
| Fast Bowlers | Milan Rathnayake, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka |
| Spinners | Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Traveen Mathew |
However, the final Sri Lankan squad for the Pakistan series had not been officially announced at the time of writing, but the upcoming home season and the need to fine-tune combinations suggest the selectors will draw from this pool.
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