Lahore, March 4, 2025 – Pakistan have officially announced its squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand, which includes both One-Day International (ODI) and T20I matches.
The tour, set to commence this month, will see Pakistan engage in a competitive series against the Kiwis as they prepare for major international tournaments.
Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as Pakistan’s T20I captain, with Shadab Khan serving as vice-captain for the five-match T20I series scheduled from March 16-26. Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan will continue to lead the ODI squad, with Salman acting as his deputy for the three-match 50-over series, which will run from March 29 to April 5.
The decision to appoint Salman and Shadab as leaders in the T20 format has been made with an eye on Pakistan’s preparations for the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Salman previously captained Pakistan in a T20I series against Zimbabwe, securing a 2-1 victory.
As part of their build-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan will play a minimum of five T20Is in the Asia Cup 2025, along with three-match series against Bangladesh, West Indies, Afghanistan, Ireland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Australia in the coming months.
Mohammad Rizwan remains at the helm of the ODI squad as Pakistan sets its sights on the ICC Men’s 50-over Cricket World Cup 2027, scheduled to be held in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
Pakistan squad for New Zealand tour:
T20I squad – Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, and Usman Khan.
ODI squad – Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Moqim, and Tayyab Tahir. A wicketkeeper-batter will be added to the ODI squad after the T20I series.
The T20I squad includes three uncapped players – Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali – while Akif Javed and Mohammad Ali are yet to debut in ODIs. These selections were based on their stellar performances in the Champions One-Day and T20 Cups.
Abdul Samad impressed in the Champions T20 Cup with 115 runs at a strike-rate of 166.67, after scoring 145 runs at a strike-rate of 122.88 in the Champions One-Day Cup. Hasan Nawaz finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the Champions T20 Cup with 312 runs at a strike-rate of 142.47. Mohammad Ali was the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 22 scalps, while also picking up three wickets in the Champions One-Day Cup. Akif Javed earned his ODI selection after claiming seven wickets in five Champions One-Day Cup matches, alongside 15 wickets in the Champions T20 Cup.
Pakistan will be without openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub due to injuries. Fakhar sustained a left lower intercostal muscle sprain during Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand, while Saim is recovering from a right ankle fracture sustained in the Cape Town Test against South Africa in January. Both are expected to regain full fitness in time for the HBL Pakistan Super League 10, beginning April 11, 2025.
Aqib Javed will continue as Pakistan’s interim head coach for the New Zealand tour, extending his tenure beyond the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Mohammad Yousuf has been appointed as the batting coach, reinforcing the team’s preparations.
Player Support Personnel: Naveed Akram Cheema (team manager), Aqib Javed (interim head coach), Azhar Mahmood (assistant coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Mohammad Masroor (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saiman (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Butt (analyst), Irtiza Komail (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media and digital manager), and Sergio Basil Mullins (masseur).
Pakistan’s New Zealand tour schedule:
• 16 Mar – First T20I, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
• 18 Mar – Second T20I, University Oval, Dunedin
• 21 Mar – Third T20I, Eden Park, Auckland
• 23 Mar – Fourth T20I, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
• 26 Mar – Fifth T20I, Sky Stadium, Wellington
• 29 Mar – First ODI, McLean Park, Napier
• 2 Apr – Second ODI, Seddon Park, Hamilton
• 5 Apr – Third ODI, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
With a strong squad and a clear roadmap, Pakistan is gearing up to put forth a competitive display against New Zealand while fine-tuning their combinations ahead of the major global tournaments.
