It has been revealed that Shadab Khan was initially considered for the T20I captaincy during Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand. However, PCB officials rejected this proposal, opting instead for Salman Ali Agha as captain. This decision followed the board’s policy of providing opportunities to new players ahead of the T20 World Cup next year.
The PCB consulted with five mentors—Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq, Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, and Shoaib Malik—before finalizing the squad. Shadab Khan, despite his experience as Islamabad United’s captain in the PSL, was not deemed fit for the role. The board believed that a player not consistently in the squad should not lead the team.
Pakistan suffered a 1-4 series defeat against New Zealand, with Salman Ali Agha as the top scorer. Shadab Khan struggled, managing just 58 runs in five matches and taking only one wicket. Despite this, the PCB remains focused on nurturing young talent in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, continuing to include players like Usman Khan in the squad.
Before the Champions Trophy match against India, PCB officials suggested opening with Usman Khan due to Fakhar Zaman’s injury. However, the team management ignored this advice, and Imam-ul-Haq opened instead, scoring just 10 runs. Given Usman Khan’s injury, Pakistan will likely need to find a new opening pair for upcoming matches.