Karachi, December 8, 2025 – Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has offered an update on the national team’s preparations ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka starting February 7.
Salman indicated that he does not expect significant changes to the squad, with the majority of players who featured in the recent home tri-series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka likely to retain their spots. The series marked a positive run for Pakistan in the T20 format since Salman took over as captain earlier this year.
“I don’t think there will be any major changes before the World Cup; this will be the combination. All players have been given their roles, and we will move forward with these roles,” Salman stated during a PCB podcast. He emphasized that Pakistan has six matches left before the World Cup, including a series against Sri Lanka away from home in January, which will help finalize preparations.
Maintaining the current squad is encouraging for former captain Babar Azam and key pacer Naseem Shah, both of whom regained selection following strong performances in the tri-series. Salman highlighted that the team is gaining confidence under his leadership, aiming to secure Pakistan’s second T20 World Cup title and first since 2009.
“We have played with this group for six months, and the results have started to come. I want us to win the 2026 T20 World Cup and then the 2027 ODI World Cup,” Salman added. He stressed that the upcoming series in Sri Lanka will benefit new players by familiarizing them with subcontinental pitches.
Salman concluded by noting that while the team is on the right track, there is still room for improvement, with the ultimate goal being a World Cup-winning Pakistan side that meets national expectations.