PAK vs NZ 2025: PCB announces white-ball squads as Babar, Rizwan sidelined from T20Is

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Tuesday, March 04, announced their squads for the multi-format series in New Zealand, which commences a week after the conclusion of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Babar Azam and skipper Mohammad Rizwan have been ignored from the squad for the five T20Is, starting March 16. The selection committee has instead opted to hand the captaincy duties to Salman Ali Agha.

Led by Chief Selector Aqib Javed, the selection committee has precisely considered player's level of fitness and recent performances to gather competing groups for both formats. The aim is to boost Pakistan's standing in international cricket following a challenging Champions Trophy tournament.

PAK T20I squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim and Usman Khan

Injured Fakhar Zaman misses ODI squad

The ODI squad is featuring a combination of seasoned campaigners and emerging skills. The inclusion of players who have shown resilience and skill in domestic circuits suggests a strategic approach to building a robust line up. Southpaw opener Imam-ul-Haq has been retained as the top-order option after Fakhar Zaman got injured in the opening Champions Trophy game against the BlackCaps.

PAK ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Moqim and Tayyab Tahir

Pakistan's poor performance in Champions Trophy 2025

The Men in Green's recent performance in the ICC Champions Trophy campaign was below expectations. As hosts, they were expected to make use of the home advantage but faced early elimination. The opening game of the tournament against New Zealand showed in a 60-run defeat, setting a challenging tone and start for the team. Later, a six-wicket loss to arch-rivals India further disheartened their semi-final hopes. 

The final group match against Bangladesh was dropped due to the interruption of the rain, concluding Pakistan's campaign without a win. Talking about this outcome, skipper Mohammad Rizwan said about the high expectations and the need for lookout. He emphasized learning from these setbacks to prepare more effectively for future series, including the forthcoming tour of New Zealand.