SL vs PAK 2026: No Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi as Pakistan name inexperienced line-up ahead of T20 World Cup

SL vs PAK 2026. (Source: Getty Images)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced the 15-member squad that will be on the road for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. The series will be starting on January 7 with the first T20I to be played in Dambulla. The second and third games will also be played at the same venue, as the Men in Green look to ready themselves for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.

The biggest notable absentees from the Salman Ali Agha-led line-up are Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan. The majority of these names are busy playing in the Big Bash League for their respective teams Down Under, as the national side has called some replacements for the missing quartet.

Khawaja Nafay, the young wicketkeeper-batter, has earned his maiden call-up to the Men in Green squad. However, it is unlikely that he will get the preference in the Playing XI over a fairly established Usman Khan as the primary stumper-batter. Meanwhile, all-rounder Shadab Khan has also made a comeback into the set-up, having been in and out of the side for quite some time now.

Speaking more of the tour, Pakistan will want to use this three-match assignment as the perfect dress rehearsal for the 20-team global tournament, starting February 7. The marquee event is set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, but the latter will be hosting all the games for the Pakistani side due to geopolitical challenges between the arch-rivals.

Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is

Salman Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq

Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka 2026 — Schedule, Dates, & Venues