Rawalpindi: Pakistan will begin their home cricket season with a new-look side and a third T20I captain in as many years when Sahibzada Farhan leads the team against Sri Lanka in the first of a three-match series on Friday.
The previous three Pakistan T20I – Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Salman Ali Agha – are no longer part of the squad as selectors begin preparations for the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Farhan, who led Pakistan to a at the recent Asian Games in Japan, said he was looking forward to taking on the leadership role.
“I’m quite excited with this new (captaincy) challenge,” Farhan said on Thursday at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. “You guys hope for the best and Inshallah (God willing) we will try to win the series.”
All three T20Is will be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium over the next five days. Pakistan will then host England and Sri Lanka in a one-day international tri-series, with matches scheduled in Rawalpindi and Lahore from October 18.
Pakistan have also recalled several experienced players after leaving them out of the Asian Games. Fakhar Zaman, fast bowler Naseem Shah and allrounder Shadab Khan return to the squad.
“This team is a mixture of youngsters and a few comebacks, especially Fakhar and Shadab,” Farhan said. “I am quite comfortable with both of them. They are seniors and I will learn a lot from them.”
Farhan also insisted that the door remained open for the previous Pakistan captains to return to the T20 side.
“They are one of the best players in the world,” he said. “I have to play with the best 15 I have been given (by the selectors). They can make a comeback anytime. The doors are open for everyone.”
New-look Sri Lanka seek turnaround
Sri Lanka have made sweeping changes following a 3-0 T20I series defeat in England. Charith Asalanka, Dilshan Madushanka and Janith Liyanage have been left out, while premier leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga will miss the series through injury.
Kusal Mendis will lead Sri Lanka in the T20I series and has also been appointed the team’s new Test captain after Dhananjaya de Silva stepped down on Thursday.
Mendis is confident that the batting-friendly conditions in Pakistan will provide Sri Lanka with an opportunity to bounce back.
“In England we had a little bit of a bad series in T20s,” Mendis said. “The batters know how to play in T20 games in Pakistan, (where) conditions are different compared to England.”
Sri Lanka remain the only team to have completed a T20I series whitewash against Pakistan on Pakistani soil. An inexperienced Sri Lankan side led by Dasun Shanaka swept the 2019 series 3-0.
Mendis, however, remains wary of Pakistan’s pace attack, which includes uncapped six-hitting sensation Razaullah.