Babar Azam to return to T20; Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha: ‘I am very excited’ | Cricket News – The Tech Word News

Salman Ali Agha & Babar Azam Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha is expected to lead an improved national T20I team against South Africa in the three-match series starting on Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Returning stars Babar Azam and Naseem Shah are in the squad along with potential debutants Usman Tariq and Usman Khan as Pakistan continue their preparations for the 2026 FIFA T20 World Cup.The Pakistan team features a mix of experienced players and fresh talent, with exceptional shot Usman Tariq and wicket-keeper batsman Usman Khan in line for their first T20I appearance.“I think we have a very interesting and exciting side, with some returnees and some new faces as well. I am very excited to lead this team and we really hope to have a great run,” Salman Ali Agha was quoted as saying by Geo News.Pakistan’s recent T20I performances have been mixed. They dominated Bangladesh in May, winning the home series 3–0, but lost 2–1 away to Bangladesh in July. The team bounced back with a 2–1 victory against the West Indies in August to win a tri-series involving Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates.However, the team faced setbacks in their encounters with India, losing three matches and winning the Asia Cup title.“We had a great series at home against Bangladesh and I hope for good results in the upcoming series as well. We just want to implement our plans for the longer term. As I always say, we have a great team – a team that can beat any side. Obviously, South Africa are a very good side; they have a few mistakes but still have a lot of talent,” Salman added.Pakistan T20I squad consists of Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Shaim Ayub Ayub, Shaheen and Tariq.Reserve players for the series are Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf and Sufiyan Moqim.