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Shadab has captained Pakistan in multiple T20Is as a stand-in skipper in the past and is now in line to take up the role on a full-time basis.
Pakistan set to sack Salman Ali Agha as T20I captain. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Salman Ali Agha is all set to lose his captaincy of the Pakistan men’s T20I team and could also be dropped from the squad for the upcoming three-match series against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in three T20Is from October 9 to 13 and, according to available information, Agha’s selection in the side for the home series is not even guaranteed.
Agha, who led Pakistan to the final of the Men’s Asia Cup last year and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, was dropped from the Test squad midway through the series in August and sent back home from England.
As per reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to appoint spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan as the new T20I captain in place of Agha, who has led the side in 50 matches so far.
Shadab has captained Pakistan in multiple T20Is as a stand-in skipper in the past and is now in line to take up the role on a full-time basis. Top-order batter Sahibzada Farhan is reportedly leading the race to become his deputy.
Farhan, who topped the run-scoring charts at the T20 World Cup 2026, also led Pakistan at the Asian Games 2026. Under his captaincy, the Men in Green reached the final.
“Shadab Khan is the front-runner to be appointed as the T20 captain, while Sahibzada Farhan is a close second. If Shadab is given this responsibility, Farhan will be his vice-captain,” a PCB insider was quoted as saying by news agency PTI on September 30.
“Hesson has also shortlisted Shadab and Farhan for the captaincy role, which will no longer be with Agha,” he added.
It has also been reported that Pakistan’s squad for the Sri Lanka series will feature several new faces, while senior fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf are unlikely to be picked.
“There will be changes in the white-ball squads as a number of young players will be given preference over seniors, and fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf are also out of consideration for the Sri Lanka series,” the PCB insider added.
Shaheen and Haris are Pakistan’s top two leading wicket-takers in T20Is but have been out of the shortest format side for quite some time. Rauf, in fact, was not even picked for the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
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Ask News18Spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan is set to replace Salman Ali Agha as the full-time T20I captain for Pakistan.
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Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist at CNN-News18, where he has been covering cricket, football, and major sporting events from around the world since July 1, 2024. Driven by a passion for storytelli…Read More
October 04, 2026, 17:28 IST
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