Notable exclusions from Pakistan's white-ball squads for West Indies series

Several key players, including Salman Mirza, Akif Javed, and Imam-ul-Haq, have been dropped from Pakistan’s squad

PHOTO: AFP/AFP

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently announced the national white-ball squads for the upcoming white-ball series of the West Indies, but several notable names have been left out from both the T20I and ODI lineups.

In the T20I squad, young pacers Abbas Afridi, Salman Mirza, and Ahmed Daniyal have been dropped. All three had featured in the recent three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, where Pakistan suffered a 2-1 defeat in Mirpur.

Salman Mirza’s exclusion raised eyebrows, as he was Pakistan’s top wicket-taker in the series, finishing with seven wickets in three games at an impressive economy rate of 5.21. Ahmed Daniyal, who also made his debut in that series, picked up three wickets in two matches at an economy rate of 5.57 and chipped in with 17 valuable runs at a strike rate of 154.54.

Abbas Afridi, known for his performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), could not make a significant impact and has also been left out of the touring party.

In the ODI squad, several players from the team that faced New Zealand earlier this year have been dropped. Akif Javed, Usman Khan, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Irfan Khan, Haris Rauf and Tayyab Tahir are all missing from the 16-member squad for the three-match series.

Imam-ul-Haq, who made a comeback in Pakistan’s ODI setup against New Zealand, has not been included. Similarly, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Akif Javed, Usman Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Irfan Khan and Tayyab Tahir, who were expected to be part of Pakistan's long-term plans, have also failed to retain their places.

Young pacer Akif Javed, who impressed in the New Zealand series earlier this year by taking seven wickets in three games at an average of 23.57, has also been left out of the squad.

Another notable exclusion from the ODI squad is Khushdil Shah, who last featured in the Champions Trophy match against India, where he scored 38 runs to help Pakistan reach a respectable total. He also claimed one wicket in that game.

Khushdil made a comeback to Pakistan’s ODI side in the 2025 tri-nation series and played five matches until the Champions Trophy, scoring 129 runs at an average of 32.25 with a healthy strike rate of 104.03. During this period, he also took two wickets with an economy rate of 5.75.

Wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan has also been dropped from the squad without being given a proper chance in the ODI team. He featured in just two matches, scoring 51 runs.

With experienced names like Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, and Shaheen Shah Afridi returning to the T20I squad, and the inclusion of Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris and Saim Ayub in both formats, the selection committee seems to be balancing experience with youth. However, the exclusion of promising young players, especially after decent performances, has sparked discussion among fans and analysts.

Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies will begin with three T20Is in Lauderhill, USA, followed by three ODIs in Trinidad & Tobago.

Pakistan squad for T20Is:

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wicket-keeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem

Pakistan squad for ODIs:

Mohammad Rizwan (captain/wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem

Pakistan-West Indies series schedule: