{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Major Pakistan T20 Overhaul: Sahibzada Farhan Takes Over Captaincy as Babar and Salman Dropped",
  "summary": "The Pakistan Cricket Board named Sahibzada Farhan as the new T20 captain, removing Salman Ali Agha while also dropping Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi from the shortest format.",
  "content": "The Pakistan Cricket Board orchestrated a sweeping restructuring of its white-ball setup on October 5, naming opening batter Sahibzada Farhan as the new skipper of the national T20 squad. Farhan replaces Salman Ali Agha, whose leadership tenure came under heavy scrutiny following lacklustre team outings in both the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup. In a drastic double blow, Salman was not only stripped of the captaincy duties but was also completely omitted from the roster for the upcoming home T20 fixture against Sri Lanka.\n\nStar Names Omitted from T20s but Kept for One-Dayers\nThe overhaul also impacted Pakistan's high-profile core, with premier batter Babar Azam, pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, and express quick Haris Rauf all omitted from the T20 contingent. An extended run of subdued performances in the game's shortest format prompted selectors to overlook Babar and Shaheen in favour of fresh prospects. Nevertheless, all three seasoned campaigners remain part of the fifty-over plans. They have been included in the 16-man squad for the upcoming ODI tri-series featuring Sri Lanka and England, with Shaheen retaining his role as the designated one-day international skipper.\n\nAsian Games Form Rewarded Amid Squad Changes\nFarhan's promotion to national leadership follows his composed captaincy during the Asian Games, where he successfully guided Pakistan into the gold-medal showdown before they ended as runners-up against India. In contrast, wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan paid the price for sloppy work behind the stumps during that identical Asian Games final defeat to India, resulting in his exclusion from the T20 side. Meanwhile, Razaullah earned his maiden white-ball national call-up across both squads, rewarded for his match-winning heroics in the third and final Test match against England where he struck nine sixes.\n\nFull Itinerary for Sri Lanka Series and ODI Tri-Nation Event\nThe entire three-game bilateral T20 series against Sri Lanka will be staged at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The opening fixture is scheduled for October 9, followed by the second contest on October 11 and the tour finale on October 13. Immediately after the bilateral games conclude, Pakistan will contest a seven-match ODI tri-series against England and Sri Lanka. The opening three fixtures of the triangular tournament will take place in Rawalpindi, after which the remaining league matches and the grand final will shift to Lahore.\n\nConfirmed Lineups for the Upcoming Fixtures\nThe 15-man Pakistan T20 squad features Sahibzada Farhan at the helm, accompanied by Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Arafat Minhas, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Nafay, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, and Sufiyan Muqeem.\n\nFor the seven-match ODI tri-series, the 16-member Pakistan squad includes captain Shaheen Shah Afridi alongside Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Arafat Minhas, Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Baig, Razaullah, and Sufiyan Muqeem.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThis sweeping squad overhaul signals an aggressive transition toward younger talent for Pakistan in the shortest format of international cricket.\n\n• For T20 Cricket Followers: Viewers will not see headline stars Babar Azam or Shaheen Afridi during the upcoming 20-over clashes. The focus shifts entirely to Sahibzada Farhan and a crop of newly integrated domestic performers.\n• For One-Day Cricket Viewers: Star power remains intact for the 50-over format during the upcoming triangular tournament. Fans can still watch Babar, Shaheen, and Haris Rauf compete against England and Sri Lanka.\n• For Match Attendees: Spectators in Pakistan will witness two distinct venues hosting international cricket this month. Rawalpindi stages all T20s starting October 9, while Lahore will host the closing stages and final of the ODI tri-series.\n• For Team Selection Dynamics: The decision establishes that past reputations will not guarantee immunity against dropping. Following poor tournament finishes, selectors have enforced accountability across the international squad.\n\nWhy this happened\nThe Pakistan Cricket Board took this drastic step following a sequence of substandard finishes in major global tournaments and a noticeable slump in form among marquee names.\n\n• Poor Tournament Campaigns: Under Salman Ali Agha, the team failed to produce competitive results in both the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup. Those underwhelming campaigns directly triggered the leadership swap and Salman's subsequent exclusion.\n• Dip in Key Players' T20 Form: Both Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi had been struggling to deliver impactful performances in international T20s. Selectors chose to address the declining returns by drafting energetic replacements for the format.\n• Domestic and Multi-Sport Merit: Farhan earned the captaincy nod after captaining Pakistan to the Asian Games final. Concurrently, standout efforts like Razaullah smashing nine sixes in the third Test against England pushed selectors to integrate emerging talent.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Who has been appointed as Pakistan's new T20 captain?\nOpening batter Sahibzada Farhan has been appointed as the new captain of Pakistan's T20 side.\n\n2. Why was Salman Ali Agha removed as T20 captain?\nHe was stripped of captaincy due to the team's underwhelming showings in both the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup.\n\n3. Are Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi playing in any format?\nYes, while dropped from the T20 roster, both players have been included in the squad for the upcoming ODI tri-series against England and Sri Lanka.\n\n4. Who is currently captaining Pakistan's ODI team?\nFast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi remains the captain of the one-day international team.\n\n5. What is the schedule and venue for the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 series?\nThe three T20 matches will be played on October 9, October 11, and October 13 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.\n\n6. Why was Razaullah included in both white-ball squads?\nRazaullah earned his maiden white-ball selection after hitting nine sixes and starring in Pakistan's win during the third Test against England.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/pakistani-t20-tima-men-bara-pherabadala-sahibzada-farhan-ko-kaptani-salman-ali-agha-aura-babar-azam-bahara-43481",
  "category": "Cricket",
  "publishedAt": "2026-10-05",
  "tags": [
    "Pakistan Cricket",
    "Sahibzada Farhan",
    "Babar Azam",
    "Shaheen Afridi",
    "T20 Cricket",
    "Salman Ali Agha"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}