Pakistan have recalled Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi to their T20I setup ahead of the home series against Australia, marking a crucial step in their build-up to the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
The three-match series against Australia will be Pakistan’s final international assignment before the World Cup, and selectors have opted to bring back the senior duo to strengthen the squad.
Senior Core Returns After Sri Lanka Snub
Babar and Shaheen, along with Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf, were left out of Pakistan’s previous T20I series against Sri Lanka. All four players featured in the ongoing Big Bash League, but only Rauf enjoyed a productive campaign.
Babar, Rizwan and Shaheen endured underwhelming debuts in the BBL, with Shaheen’s stint cut short due to injury. Despite that, selectors have restored faith in Babar and Shaheen, bringing them straight back for the Australia series.
Rizwan, Rauf Face Uphill World Cup Battle
While Pakistan are among the few teams to have officially announced their World Cup squad, the absence of Rizwan and Rauf from the Australia T20Is suggests their chances of making the final 15 appear slim.
The selectors’ decision indicates a narrowing of options as Pakistan fine-tune combinations ahead of the global event.
Shadab Retained, Nafay Continues Rise
Shadab Khan, who recently made his return to the national side, has retained his spot in the squad, which will be led by Salman Ali Agha.
Young batter Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, who impressed on debut earlier this month, has also kept his place and is emerging as a strong contender for the first-choice wicketkeeper’s role.
Series Schedule and Venue
The three T20Is against Australia will be played on January 29, January 31 and February 1, with all matches scheduled to take place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Pakistan Squad for Australia T20Is
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq
