KARACHI: Pakistan T20 captain Salman Ali Agha reaffirmed the status of senior players Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi in the national setup, stating that the trio remained integral to the team’s plans leading up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Speaking at a press conference here at the National Bank Stadium on Monday before the team’s departure for Bangladesh for the upcoming three-match Twenty International series, Salman clarified lingering speculation about the future of Pakistan’s former captains.

“Absolutely, they are certainly part of the pool,” he said when asked if Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen were included in the core group of players being considered for the T20 World Cup.

“We have a pool of 25 players that we’ve finalised, and these three senior players are very much part of it,” he added. “They have performed exceptionally well for Pakistan.”

After the Bangladesh tour, Pakistan will fly off to the Caribbean for three more T20Is. The tour schedule also features as many One-day Internationals, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly said to have requested its West Indies counterpart to discard the 50-over matches and replace them with more T20s.

Salman noted that with limited Test cricket on the calendar and the next ODI World Cup more than two years away, the current focus had shifted to the shortest format.

“You prepare for what’s ahead in the next six months,” Salman said. “Right now, it’s T20s. It’s not that we are running away from Tests or ODIs, but our performances haven’t been strong enough to earn more Test series. If we go and beat teams in Australia or England, they will want to play us.”

On Shaheen Shah Afridi — whose future has also been the subject of debate following a brief tenure as T20 captain — Salman was unequivocal. “There’s no need to undermine Shaheen’s performances. He’s a world-class bowler and one of Pakistan’s best. He will definitely feature in white-ball cricket going forward,” he said.

With questions raised about the selection consistency of youngsters like Irfan Khan and Mohammad Nawaz’s return despite recent struggles, Salman emphasised that selection decisions were taken collectively and based on balance and team needs.

“After Shadab’s injury, we needed a like-for-like replacement. Nawaz offers that. Temporary poor performance is not a big issue if the player has ability,” the skipper observed.

He acknowledged the volatility surrounding captaincy in Pakistan cricket, which has seen Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen all removed as leaders in the past 18 months. However, Salman stressed that he was not looking too far ahead.

“I don’t think about whether I’ll be captain in the Asia Cup or the World Cup. Right now, my focus is on winning this series in Bangladesh and getting the best out of my players,” noted the 31-year-old.

Amid speculation that he might be considered for captaincy across formats, Salman dismissed such talk.

“People can say anything. There’s been no such discussion. My focus is Pakistan and helping this team improve.”

Pakistan’s T20 squad will depart later this week for Dhaka, where they play three T20Is on July 20, 22, and 24.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2025