Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi in as Pakistan submit preliminary squad to ICC for T20 World Cup

Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan are included while Mohammad Rizwan is left out as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has submitted a preliminary 20-player squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, Pakistani media reported on Saturday.

According to reports, the 20-player squad will be cut short to 15 by Pakistan’s men’s team head coach Mike Hesson in a few days.

The deadline for the submission of the final squad for the 20-team tournament, scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, is January 31, after which a committee is entitled to allow any replacements.

The reports said that alongside Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf is also included in the initial squad.

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For the unversed, Babar, Shaheen and Rauf are not part of the Pakistan squad for the upcoming away T20I series against Sri Lanka.

After the Sri Lanka tour, Pakistan is expected to announce the squad for the ICC T20 World Cup and the three-match home T20I series against Australia, according to reports.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan will play the three matches of the away series against Sri Lanka on January 7, 9 and 11, while the home assignment against Australia is likely to be scheduled just before the World Cup, with expected dates of January 30 to February 5.

Pakistan is included in Group A of the ICC T20 World Cup, alongside India, USA, the Netherlands, and Namibia.

The Green Shirts will begin their World Cup campaign against Netherland on February 7, 2026, in Colombo.

Pakistan is scheduled to play all of their matches in Sri Lanka; Colombo will host their four Group stage clashes, with Super Eights matches also scheduled in Colombo and Kandy.

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