Pakistan name squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Babar, Shaheen left out, T10 star earns maiden call-up

Babar, Shaheen not picked for SL T20Is, Khawaja Nafay earns maiden call

Pakistan will travel to Sri Lanka for three T20Is between January 7-11, but star players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Rizwan won't feature in those games. They will be completing their Big Bash League stints instead.

Earlier this month, the Pakistan Cricket Board assured Cricket Australia that their stars would play the entire BBL despite a schedule clash with the Sri Lanka series. The only Pakistan player currently featuring in the BBL who has been named in the squad to face Sri Lanka is all-rounder Shadab Khan. Shadab is returning to the national set-up after an injury break. His last international outing for Pakistan came in June in the home T20I series against Bangladesh.

Also read: England international works over Babar Azam as hit and miss BBL campaign continues

Twenty-three-year old Khawaja Nafay has been given a maiden international call-up. Nafay featured for Quetta Qavalry in the latest edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 where he made 178 runs at a strike rate of 243.83. His T20 record doesn't particularly stand out, though. From 32 games, he averages 23.72 with a strike rate of 132.81.

Also read: Watch: PSL rookie Khawaja Nafay picks up and upper-cuts 90mph Haris Rauf for two sixes in an over

Following the Sri Lanka series, Pakistan also have a T20I series scheduled against Australia before they head back to Sri Lanka for the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup.

Also read: Pakistan must resist their Babar Azam temptation for the T20 World Cup

Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is

Salman Agha (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq.