PCB Names 16-Man Squad for Australia T20I Series in Lahore
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has unveiled a 16-player lineup for the forthcoming three-match T20 International series against Australia, which will be hosted at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
The short series is set to run from 29 January to 1 February, with each match beginning at 4:00 PM (PKT).
Senior batters Babar Azam and premier fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi make their return to the T20I setup after sitting out Pakistan’s recent Sri Lanka tour earlier this month, a series that concluded level at 1-1.
Pakistan’s spin department looks particularly solid, with Shadab Khan continuing his return to form and partnering Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, and Usman Tariq to spearhead the slow-bowling attack.
Players and management will gather in Lahore on Saturday, with training sessions scheduled to commence a day later. The Australian side is expected to touch down on 28 January, marking only their second T20I tour of Pakistan, following a one-off encounter at the same venue in April 2022.
The series is viewed as an important build-up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March. Pakistan have been placed in Group A with India, USA, Netherlands, and Namibia, while Australia will contest Group B alongside Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and Oman.
In T20I history, the two teams have clashed 28 times, with Australia holding a slight edge—14 wins to Pakistan’s 12, along with one tied match and one no-result.
Pakistan Squad (16 Players)
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq.
Team Management & Support Staff
Naveed Akram Cheema (Team Manager), Mike Hesson (Head Coach), Ashley Noffke (Bowling Coach), Shane McDermott (Fielding Coach), Hanif Malik (Batting Coach), Cliffe Deacon (Physiotherapist), Grant Luden (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Talha Ejaz (Performance Analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmed (Media Manager), Lt. Col. (Retd) Usman Anwari (Security Manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (Team Doctor), Dr Raheel Karim (Psychiatrist), Muhammad Ehsan (Masseur).
Match Schedule
(All fixtures at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore)
1st T20I: Thursday, 29 January – 4:00 PM PKT
2nd T20I: Saturday, 31 January – 4:00 PM PKT
3rd T20I: Sunday, 1 February – 4:00 PM PKT
