New Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, naming Salman Ali Agha as the captain. The selection has once again raised eyebrows, as the PCB included Babar Azam despite his disappointing performance in the Big Bash League (BBL), while leaving out some top performers from the same tournament.
Several Pakistani players participated in the 2025-26 BBL season, including notable names such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, and Shadab Khan. However, injury and other commitments affected some players’ participation. Shaheen Afridi returned home early due to injury, and Shadab Khan left to join the T20 series against Sri Lanka. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Haris Rauf had ample opportunities to showcase their skills during the league.
Babar Azam played for the Sydney Sixers but managed only 202 runs in 11 matches at a disappointing average of 22.44 and a strike rate of 103.06. His poor form created uncertainty about his participation in the Challenger match, leading him to return to Pakistan on national duty before the game. Similarly, Rizwan, representing Melbourne Renegades, scored just 187 runs in 10 matches, averaging 18.70.
On the other hand, Haris Rauf emerged as the leading bowler of the season, taking 20 wickets in 11 matches with an economy rate of 8.23. Despite his impressive performance as the top wicket-taker, Rauf was surprisingly excluded from the World Cup squad. Rizwan’s poor form also kept him out of the team.
The inclusion of Babar Azam despite his underwhelming BBL performance, combined with the exclusion of Haris Rauf, reflects what many perceive as a biased and lax approach by the PCB selection committee.
Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 Squad: Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khwaja Mohammad Nafees (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (Wicketkeeper), Sam Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.
The squad announcement has sparked debate among cricket fans and analysts, pointing to the PCB’s recurring pattern of controversial team selections ahead of major tournaments.
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