The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, naming Salman Agha as captain. Former skipper Babar Azam has been included, while Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf have been left out. The announcement was made in Lahore by selector Aaqib Javed, alongside captain Salman and coach Mike Hesson. Several players, including Salman Mirza, Khaja Nafi, Sahibzada Farhan, and Usman Tariq, have been called up for their first World Cup appearance.

The team announcement comes amid speculation that Pakistan might boycott the tournament in support of Bangladesh. The International Cricket Council (ICC) reportedly excluded Bangladesh from the World Cup after the Bangladesh government refused to play in India, citing security concerns. Bangladesh had requested to play in Sri Lanka, but the ICC denied the request and replaced them with Scotland. PCB has criticized the ICC’s decision, fueling discussions about a possible boycott.

Pakistan is scheduled to play its opening match against the Netherlands on February 7, with India, Namibia, and the United States also in Group A.