Shadab Khan Backs Salman in New T20 Setup

Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the men's squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand, with Salman Ali Agha as the T20 International team captain and Mohammad Rizwan leading the One Day International team, while Shadab Khan has been appointed as the vice-captain of the T20 team.

The team announcement comes amid the national team's poor performance in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The PCB has stated that the decision to appoint Salman and Shadab Khan as T20I captain and vice-captain, respectively, was made with an eye on the upcoming ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Salman has previously led Pakistan to a 2-1 win in a T20 series against Zimbabwe.

The T20 squad includes three uncapped players, while Akif Javed and Mohammad Ali are set to debut in ODIs. The team will play five T20s and three ODIs during the tour. Pakistan's new T20I captain, Salman Ali Agha, has promised to deliver a "fearless and high-risk" brand of cricket. Agha, who replaced Mohammad Rizwan, aims to improve the team's intent and approach, which has been criticized for being outdated and risk-averse.

The team has undergone a significant change, with several new faces and the absence of familiar ones, including Rizwan and Babar Azam. Agha believes that the team needs to play aggressive cricket, which will come with failures, but it is a requirement in modern cricket. The PCB has also recalled Shadab Khan as vice-captain, who has experience and an aggressive mindset.

The team's selection head, Aaqib Javed, has stated that the non-selection of Babar and Rizwan is due to the team's desire to change its style of play. With the new team setup and the appointment of Salman Ali Agha and Shadab Khan, Pakistan is looking to revamp its approach to the game and achieve better results in the upcoming tournaments.