Pakistan Squad Review ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Can Green Shirts Repeat the 2009 Heroics?

Pakistan is one of those teams that is considered highly unpredictable in world cricket. They can beat any opposition in a one-sided contest on their given day, which makes them a big threat for every match. While their performances in the recent ICC tournaments have not lived up to the expectations, their potential to dominate the upcoming tournament with high-quality bowling cannot be underestimated.    

Pakistan is entering the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 with a different mindset, as the captain Salman Ali Agha has promised to play positive cricket without fearing about the results. The team’s recent performances in bilateral series also justify this approach, as glimpses of fearless batting were clearly evident there. The green shirts are hoping to carry that momentum into the upcoming mega event where they could face more competitive games against top oppositions.

Speaking about the squad of Pakistan team, it is looking very well balanced in terms of having a good mix of specialist batters and bowlers. Since the green shirts will play all their matches in Sri Lanka, the team is looking to counter heavy spin in the majority of the matches. In this article, we will review the squad of Pakistan in detail, so that you can understand how the team is preparing to dominate different oppositions in the tournament.

A Quick Look at the Recent Performances of Pakistan in T20I Format

The performance of Pakistan in T20I cricket has improved over the past one year. Since Salman Ali Agha took over the captaincy, a clear change in mindset has been evident within the team. After the Asia Cup 2025, Pakistan has won three T20I series consecutively. This shows that the team has been performing well in the format, as the players have clarity about the core objectives.

Pakistan defeated South Africa by 2-1 in the T20I series played last October. Barring the first match, they looked dominant against the Proteas throughout the series. After that, the green shirts won the Tri-Series convincingly, which included Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. The batting department of the team looked especially impressive in that series, as it dominated the majority of the matches.

The team then traveled to Sri Lanka to participate in a three-match T20I series. The series ended in a tie, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka each winning one game, while the second match was called off due to persistent rain in Dambulla. Following that, Pakistan’s performance in the recent series against Australia was a major positive. The green shirts thrashed the Aussies by 3-0, showcasing their complete preparation ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. This has given fans real hope that the team can achieve something special at the upcoming event, as their renewed approach is currently yielding strong results.

Key Players for Pakistan in ICC T20 World Cup 2026

Babar Azam

Babar Azam is the backbone of the Pakistan team because he has vast international cricket experience. He plays a major role for the team in batting, as he has the ability to play long match-winning innings. Earlier, Babar used to open the batting in T20Is, but he has now been slotted into the middle order to provide stability to the side. With 4505 runs in T20I format, he is the star batter for Pakistan who could win crucial matches in the upcoming event. His performances will be especially important, as he fully understands the challenges of playing in tough Sri Lankan conditions.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Shaheen Shah Afridi is the spearhead of Pakistan’s bowling attack. He is an exceptional left-arm bowler who has the capability to remove openers very early in the innings. Being a vastly experienced cricketer, Shaheen understands the pressure of bowling in T20 cricket. Over the past few years, he has remained a key part of the Pakistan T20I team by consistently leading the attack from the front. As seen in recent PSL seasons, Shaheen has also improved his batting, which makes him a suitable option for lower order striking. It would be interesting to see how Shaheen will perform in Sri Lanka, as the pitches there are more conducive to spin as compared to pace bowling.    

Shadab Khan

Shadab Khan has made a comeback to the national side after a long period of time. He is a vital player for the team who performs well in both departments of the game. Being a leg-spinner, he could play a major role for Pakistan in the Sri Lankan conditions, where turning tracks will assist his bowling style. Besides that, Shadab is a key batter in the middle order of Pakistan who brings strong firepower. He has shown massive improvement in power-hitting during the last few years, so the team relies on him to play quick cameos towards the end of the innings.

Saim Ayub

Saim Ayub has emerged as a unique allround package for Pakistan who makes an impact with both batting and bowling. Firstly, he is a quality opener who likes to attack the opposition from the very first over. The good thing is that Saim can quickly adjust himself according to the match situation, which means he can also stand at the crease firmly in case of an early batting collapse. On the bowling front, he has developed into a skilled spin bowler who understands the nuances of T20 bowling perfectly. The upcoming mega event will give him the opportunity to showcase his allround skills on the biggest stage where the competition will be extremely high.

Abrar Ahmed

Abrar Ahmed is a mystery spinner who has the capability to bowl at any stage of the game. He is someone who does not turn the ball excessively, but his accuracy in hitting the stumps consistently makes him a major threat to batters. He is one of the best T20 bowlers in the world who boasts an exceptional record in international cricket. Abrar will definitely enjoy playing the World Cup in Sri Lanka where slow turning tracks will help him keep batters under control.

Pakistan Squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2026

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq.

Pakistan Fixtures in ICC T20 World Cup 2026

February 7: Pakistan vs Netherlands, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo

February 10: Pakistan vs USA, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo

February 15: Pakistan vs India, R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

February 18: Pakistan vs Namibia, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo

Final Words

The upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is important for Pakistan because they have a point to prove in world cricket. Their performances in the last few ICC tournaments, including the Champions Trophy 2025 have been very disappointing. Now, with the change of leadership, they appear to be a much stronger side with a positive intent of batting. Since they will be playing all their matches in Sri Lanka, we can expect the spinners of the team to play a major role in defeating various oppositions. It is therefore expected to be an important event for the green shirts where conditions will suit their style of play in T20 cricket.