Pakistan kickstarts its T20 World Cup preparations with a fresh mindset as they face Bangladesh in the first of a three-match series at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. After a disappointing World Cup exit in the USA, the focus is now on testing combinations and building a powerful, modern T20 unit for next year’s tournament in Sri Lanka.
With Mike Hesson taking over as head coach and Salman Ali Agha stepping up as captain, Pakistan is clearly shifting gears. The team has already toured Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand, but struggled to secure series wins, using two captains and making 18 squad changes. The goal now is stability—with flexibility.
Salman confirmed in a press conference that the team is working toward finalizing a squad of 20–25 players to ensure depth and cover for injuries before the World Cup. “We want ready replacements. That’s why we’re giving chances to as many players as possible,” he said.
Big names like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi are not in the squad for this series. While Rizwan and Babar were dropped for not fitting the team’s aggressive strategy, Shaheen requested rest following an intense PSL campaign. Despite their absence, Salman praised them as vital assets for Pakistan’s future in white-ball cricket.
The current squad is largely built on Pakistan super league 2025 performances. Notable inclusions are Hasan Ali, Sahibzada Farhan—the highest PSL run-scorer—and Hasan Nawaz, who has transitioned into a reliable middle-order option. Mohammad Wasim Jr. was ruled out due to injury and replaced by Abbas Afridi.
The Hesson-Salman partnership, rooted in their time at Islamabad United, has brought a data-driven, attacking style to the national team. Salman emphasized, “We aim to play fearless but smart cricket. The focus is on a modern, aggressive game that aligns with global trends.”
On the other side, Bangladesh arrives in Lahore hoping to bounce back after a 2-2 series draw against the UAE. Led by Litton Das with Mehidy Hasan Miraz as deputy, the team includes a mix of experience and emerging talent such as Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Shanto, and Towhid Hridoy.
However, they’ll be without key pacer Mustafizur Rahman due to injury. Their pace duties will now be handled by Tanvir Islam, Hasan Mahmud, and Tanzim Sakib. The spin department features Rishad Hossain, who previously played in the PSL.
Bangladesh is also using this series to explore squad options for the World Cup. “We’ve identified our weaknesses from the UAE series and are focused on our own performance,” Litton noted.
The second and third T20Is will be played on May 30 and June 1 at the same venue, promising fans an action-packed series as both teams gear up for global cricket’s biggest stage.
