This will be Pakistan's first white ball series after a poor performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Despite hosts and defending champions, Mohammad Rizwan-led side failed to win a single game in their Champions Trophy campaign. Pakistan lost their group stage match against New Zealand and India respectively and their third league match against Bangladesh was washed out due to rain in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Salman Agha as new T20I captain and Shadab Khan will be his deputy. Senior players including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah lost their spot from the T20I squad. PCB added three uncapped players Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Ali.
Rizwan will continue as ODI captain, with Salman serving as his deputy for the three 50-over matches scheduled at the backend of the tour from March 29 to April 5.
"The decision to appoint Salman and Shadab as T20I captain and vice-captain, respectively, has been made with an eye on two major upcoming tournaments - the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 (September 2025) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (February/March 2026). Salman previously led Pakistan in a T20I series against Zimbabwe last year, winning 2-1," the Pakistan Cricket Board had said in a release.
Rizwan and Babar will be a part of Pakistan's ODI squad as Pakistan builds towards the ICC Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup 2027, which will take place in Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe in October/November 2027.
Aqib Javed will continue as interim head coach for the New Zealand tour. His original term was until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but he has been asked to extend his tenure while the search for a permanent head coach begins, while Mohammad Yousuf was appointed as batting coach.
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.
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.