Shadab Khan Returns as Pakistan Name Squad for Sri Lanka T20I Tour

Shadab Khan has been recalled to Pakistan’s T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Sri Lanka in January, marking his return to international cricket following shoulder surgery. Uncapped batter Khawaja Nafay has also earned his maiden call-up as Pakistan fine-tune preparations for the T20 World Cup, scheduled for February–March in India and Sri Lanka.

Salman Agha will continue as captain for the tour, which represents Pakistan’s final set of T20Is before the World Cup.

Shadab last represented Pakistan in June during the home T20I series against Bangladesh, which Pakistan won 3–0. In that series, the all-rounder contributed with both bat and ball, taking four wickets and scoring 55 runs. Shortly after, he underwent surgery to address a recurring issue in his right shoulder. Following a period of rehabilitation, Shadab returned to competitive cricket on December 16, turning out for Sydney Thunder in the ongoing Big Bash League.

Notably, none of the other Pakistan players currently involved in the BBL — including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali — have been selected for the Sri Lanka tour.

The squad also includes 23-year-old Khawaja Nafay, who receives his first international call-up. A right-handed batter and part-time wicketkeeper, Nafay has recently featured in the Abu Dhabi T10 and has been part of the Pakistan Shaheens setup. He has played 32 T20 matches, scoring 688 runs at a strike rate of 132.81.

Pakistan will use the Sri Lanka series to assess combinations and build momentum ahead of the World Cup, with a blend of experience and emerging talent included in the squad.

Pakistan squad for T20I series vs Sri Lanka:

Salman Agha (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq