Pakistan will play a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh from July 20, and here’s how the visitors could line up in Dhaka.
Pakistan squad for Bangladesh T20Is
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza and Sufyan Moqim
Find more details about the squad here.
Openers
Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub
Despite Sahibzada Farhan’s sensational run, Pakistan's head coach has confirmed that Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub are being seen as the openers for the T20I side. Zaman, who made a T20I return after almost a year in the home series against Bangladesh, played just one match before fitness concerns ruled him out of the remaining games. Farhan opened in his absence.
Ayub is one of the first names on the team sheet for Pakistan, with a strike rate of 143.72 since the start of 2024, and is one of two batters from the team who have made over 300 runs at a strike rate over 140. Zaman (416 runs; SR: 150.72) is the other batter.
Middle-order
Mohammad Haris (wk), Salman Ali Agha (wk), Hasan Nawaz
Haris has a T20I strike rate of 169.44 and was particularly impressive in the last series against Bangladesh, where he made 179 runs in three innings, including an unbeaten 107* in 46 balls. He has outperformed Mohammed Rizwan, emerging as Pakistan’s first-choice keeper in the format.
Agha has a career strike rate of 125.81 in T20Is, and did not light up the PSL either. However, he played a couple of quickfire knocks against Bangladesh and will hold the important No.4 position.
Nawaz was the player of the series in this year’s PSL, making 399 runs at a strike rate of 162.19. He has played only eight T20Is, averaging 37.80 at a strike rate of 192.37, and brings much-needed aggression to the line-up.
Spinners
Khushdil Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Sufyan Muqeem
Khushdil had a quiet series against Bangladesh last month, making 5 runs and picking up two wickets in three games, but with the conditions in Dhaka expected to be on the slower side, he will be an integral member of the team.
Abrar has an economy rate of 8.18 since the start of last year - no other Pakistan bowler has taken more wickets at a better economy rate. He was also economical in the PSL (7.34) and will lead the spin attack.
Muqeem played just one T20I against New Zealand at the start of the year, but left an immediate impact, finishing his two overs for six runs with two wickets. He played only three games in the 2025 PSL and was not picked for the Bangladesh T20Is at home, but he has a career economy rate of 7.06 and could be handy in helpful conditions.
Fast bowlers
Abbas Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf
In the absence of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi, Faheem will lead the pace attack. He has played just three T20Is since 2023 - all against Bangladesh - and finished with three scalps at an economy rate of 7.44. His batting skills ensure he will be at No.7.
Daniyal has received a call-up following his performance in the PSL, where he picked up six wickets in four games with an economy rate of 8.93. Abbas, one of the other most experienced quicks, rounds up the XI.
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