Pakistan's Babar Azam leaves the field after losing his wicket during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo)Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan and team talisman Babar Azam have been dropped from the Pakistan squad for the five-match T20 series in New Zealand. Salman Ali Agha has been named as the replacement for Rizwan as Pakistan captain of the T20 outfit with all-rounder Shadab Khan also earning a recall into the team and being named Pakistan vice-captain.
While Pakistan were eliminated from the Champions Trophy under his watch, Rizwan has been retained as the ODI captain for the tour of New Zealand. However, pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf were left out of the ODI team for the New Zealand tour. Batters Saud Shakil and Kamran Ghulam have also been axed from the ODI team.
PAK vs BAN: Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi, right bowls as New Zealand’s Tom Latham watches during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand, in Karachi, Pakistan Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo)
Fakhar Zaman, meanwhile, will be missing from the tour as he is recovering from an injury he sustained in the first match of the Champions Trophy.
The side was eliminated from the ongoing Champions Trophy in the group stage after failing to win a single game despite the fact that they were the hosts and the defending champions. Their final game against Bangladesh was washed out.
Pakistan are scheduled to play five T20Is and three ODIs in New Zealand starting March 16. The squad is also sans opener Saim Ayub, who is yet to recover from a ankle injury.
ODI: Muhammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (VC), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam Faheem Ashraf, Imam ul Haq, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Wasim junior, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah Sufyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.
T20: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (VC), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Muqeem, Usman Khan
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