Tue Mar 04 10:44:25 UTC 2025: ## Pakistan Shakes Up T20 Squad, Drops Rizwan and Babar for New Zealand Series

**Wellington, NZ –** In a surprising move, Pakistan Cricket has dropped captain Mohammad Rizwan and star batsman Babar Azam from its T20 squad for the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand. Salman Ali Agha takes over the captaincy reins for the T20s, with all-rounder Shadab Khan named his vice-captain.

While the T20 squad undergoes significant changes, the ODI team retains a largely similar composition despite a disappointing Champions Trophy showing. Rizwan remains captain of the ODI side, and Babar also retains his place. However, Saud Shakil and Kamran Ghulam have been dropped from the ODI squad, along with fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.

The changes come as Pakistan prepares for a tour encompassing five T20s and three ODIs, starting March 16th. Further impacting the squad are injuries to Saim Ayub (ankle) and Fakhar Zaman (sustained during the Champions Trophy), who will both miss the tour.

The revised squads are:

**ODI:** Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (VC), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam ul Haq, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Wasim junior, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.

**T20:** Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (VC), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Muqeem, Usman Khan.

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