Pakistan Coach Drops 'Participation Bomb' At T20 World Cup Squad Press Conference
Despite announcing a 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan head coach said that the team is yet to receive participation clearance from the government.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee named a 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, effectively reversing a previous threat by board chairman Mohsin Naqvi to boycott the event in solidarity with Bangladesh. The PCB chief Naqvi had previously suggested a withdrawal from the T20 showpiece after the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland following their refusal to travel to India owing to "security concerns". While the development suggests that Pakistan are prepared to enter the T20 World Cup, the announcement hasn't fully closed the topic.
Following Bangladesh's removal, Naqvi had said that the Pakistan government would take the final decision on whether its national team would participate in the T20 World Cup. All of Pakistan's group matches will be held in Sri Lanka.
The squad was announced during a press conference addressed by the PCB's High Performance Director and member of men's national team selection committee Aaqib Javed, Agha, and white-ball head coach Michael James Hesson at the Gaddafi Stadium. In the press conference, Javed said that even though Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad has been announced, the participation isn't 100% certain yet.Â
"We are selectors, and our job is to pick the team. We've announced the team very close to the deadline. The government will decide on our participation so I can say nothing on that front. That's what the chairman has said, too, so we'll wait for their decision," Javed said after the squad announcement, suggesting that the saga isn't over yet.
It is worth mentioning that the PCB, BCCI, and ICC had entered into a tripartite agreement last year under which all India-Pakistan matches till 2027 would be played at neutral venues.
No Suprises In Pakistan's Squad
Salman Ali Agha will lead the Pakistan team in the tournament, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. There were no major surprises in the T20 World squad with the same set of players who are to play a T20 series at home against Australia next week named in it.
Only medium pacer Mohammad Wasim junior found himself out in the cold from the squad for the Australia series starting on January 29 in Lahore.
The selectors have included two specialist spinners in the T20 World Cup squad, including Abrar Ahmed and mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who has made limited international appearances for the national side.
Besides Abrar and Usman, the squad features spin all-rounders Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub.
The squad also includes hard-hitting young batsman Khawaja Nafay who has played just one T20 International in Sri Lanka earlier this month.
Among the 15 players, skipper Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Sahibzada Farhan and Usman Tariq have received their maiden mega-event call-ups to the Pakistan squad.
Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Usman Khan have played in at least one or more editions of the tournament since 2021.
Pakistan are placed in Group A and scheduled to face the Netherlands in their opening game on February 7 in Colombo.
Pakistan squad for T20 World Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), 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.
With PTI Inputs
Pakistan Cricket Team