Pakistan has brought back all-rounder Shadab Khan for the T20I series against Sri Lanka starting January 7 2026. Shadab was out since June due to shoulder surgery but returned to cricket through the Big Bash League this month performing well. Top players Babar Azam Shaheen Afridi Haris Rauf Hasan Ali and Mohammad Rizwan who are also playing in the Big Bash League in Australia were not called up and will continue their BBL season. These players had agreed to return if needed but the Pakistan Cricket Board honored their commitment to Cricket Australia allowing them to complete the league. The 15-member squad led by Salman Ali Agha includes a few surprises: uncapped batter Khawaja Nafay and the return of Abdul Samad. Nafay’s selection is unexpected because he has not been a standout in domestic cricket. This Sri Lanka series is important as Pakistan will play all their T20 World Cup matches there next year giving senior players a chance to get used to the conditions. Pakistan Squad Salman Ali Agha (c) Abdul Samad Saim Ayub Sahabzada Farhan Fakhar Zaman Shadab Khan Faheem Ashraf Muhammad Nawaz Abrar Ahmed Usman Tariq Usman Khan Khawaja Nafay Naseem Shah Salman Mirza Muhammad Waseem Jr.