Pakistan have appointed Sahibzada Farhan as their new T20I captain for the upcoming Sri Lanka series. He replaces Salman Ali Agha in the leadership role. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced the new T20I and ODI squads on Monday. Farhan will lead the 15-member T20I squad against Sri Lanka. The three-match T20I series will begin on October 9 in Rawalpindi. The remaining matches will take place on October 11 and 13.
Farhan takes over Pakistan T20I captaincy
Sahibzada Farhan replaces Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan’s T20I captain after leading the side at the Asian Games. Pakistan won the silver medal at the tournament in Japan. Pakistan lost the Asian Games final against India by 19 runs. Farhan still impressed with his leadership during the competition. Farhan also enjoyed a strong 2026 T20 World Cup campaign. He scored 383 runs during the tournament. His strike rate stood at 160. He finished as Pakistan’s highest run-scorer in the competition. The new captain will now face his first major assignment with the senior T20I side. His first series will come against Sri Lanka at home.
Salman Ali Agha dropped from T20I squad
Salman Ali Agha has lost both the T20I captaincy and his place in the T20I squad. However, he remains part of Pakistan’s ODI squad. He will feature in the upcoming ODI tri-series involving England and Sri Lanka. The change marks a major shift in Pakistan’s T20 setup. Several senior players have also been left out of the T20I squad. Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi are among those missing from the T20I team. Both players remain involved in the ODI setup. Shaheen will continue to captain Pakistan in the ODI format. The ODI tri-series will feature Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka.
New faces enter Pakistan’s T20I squad
The PCB has also made several changes to the T20I squad. Razaullah and Mohammad Imran Randhawa have received places in the team. Razaullah recently impressed during his Test debut against England. He scored 81 runs from 63 balls and took four wickets. Naseem Shah has also returned to the T20I squad. His previous T20 appearance came during the 2026 T20 World Cup. Hasan Nawaz remains in the squad after his impressive Asian Games performance. He scored 96 runs in the final against India. Other players retained include Saim Ayub, Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas and Maaz Sadaqat.
The selection also keeps several players from Pakistan’s recent Asian Games campaign in the national setup.
What comes next for Farhan?
Sahibzada Farhan replaces Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan’s T20I captain at an important stage for the team. His first task will be the three-match home series against Sri Lanka. Pakistan will look to build a new T20I combination under his leadership. Farhan will not feature in Pakistan’s ODI squad for the upcoming tri-series. His current international responsibility remains focused on the T20 format.
The captaincy change gives Farhan an opportunity to establish himself as a regular leader. The Sri Lanka series will provide his first test in the new role.
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