Karachi, January 2026 – Pakistan cricket fans have reason to celebrate as superstar batter Babar Azam and lethal pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi have made a blockbuster return to the national T20I squad for the high-voltage series against Australia.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20 International series, set to begin on January 29, marking a crucial step in preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The return of Babar and Shaheen injects experience, firepower and balance into Pakistan’s lineup after the duo missed the recent T20I tour of Sri Lanka. Their comeback is being seen as a major boost as Pakistan look to fine-tune combinations ahead of the global showpiece.
Another big highlight is the return of Shadab Khan, who has been recalled to the national setup after a six-month absence. His inclusion significantly strengthens Pakistan’s spin attack, which also features Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz and Usman Tariq.
Pakistan T20I Squad vs Australia:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan and Usman Tariq.
Former T20 World Cup champions Pakistan (2009) and Australia (2021) will clash in three thrilling encounters before shifting focus to the T20 World Cup, scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan will compete in Group A alongside India, USA, Namibia and the Netherlands, while Australia find themselves in Group B with Sri Lanka, Ireland, Oman and Zimbabwe, setting the stage for a blockbuster tournament.