In the lead-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan’s new head coach, Azhar Mahmood, is focused on fine-tuning his squad and building winning strategies.

Pakistan has an impressive T20I schedule ahead, with matches against New Zealand, Ireland, and England offering crucial preparation.

Veterans Return, Squad Depth Increases

One of the most exciting developments is the return of seasoned players Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, who reversed their international retirement decisions. Both showed excellent form in the recent PSL, and Mahmood is confident their experience will be a major asset for Pakistan.

“Our squad now covers all the bases,” says Mahmood. “The return of Amir and Imad gives us flexibility and depth, especially in our bowling attack. Combined with our world-class batting lineup, we’re in a strong position.”

T20 World Cup Ambition Burns Bright

Despite reaching the semi-finals and finals in recent T20 World Cups, Pakistan hasn’t clinched a major title since 2009. Mahmood is determined to change that: “Our players are pure talent and we have the skill to go all the way. We might not have won recently, but you can never count Pakistan out in T20s.”

Building the Perfect XI and Testing the Bench

The upcoming series are a chance for Mahmood to finalize Pakistan’s best XI before the World Cup. He’ll be experimenting with combinations and looking to integrate exciting young players like Irfan Niazi, Azam Khan, and Usman Khan.

“We need to give opportunities to our bench strength while also solidifying our strongest eleven for that first World Cup match on June 6th,” explains Mahmood.

Strong Batting Lineup, Middle-Order Versatility

Pakistan’s batting is notoriously top-heavy, but Mahmood is working on middle-order balance: “We’ve experimented with Fakhar Zaman at four, and we’re bringing in new players to provide a mix of power-hitting and skillful shots.”

New Zealand Series: No Room for Complacency

While New Zealand is missing some key players, Mahmood isn’t taking them lightly. “They may lack international experience, but they’ve got T20 know-how. We won’t underestimate them – there are no easy games in T20 cricket.”

 

Pakistan squad

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan. Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir.

Non-travelling reserves: Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha.