Pakistan's performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy fell far short of expectations. The host nation suffered heavy defeats against New Zealand and subsequently India, resulting in their elimination from the semi-final contention.
Sports News: Pakistan's performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy was significantly below expectations. The host team suffered heavy defeats against New Zealand and then India, missing out on the semi-finals. Following their early exit from the tournament, the Pakistan cricket team will now aim to regain their reputation in a bilateral series. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the squads for this upcoming series.
Pakistan's Next Test Against New Zealand
The Pakistan team will now play a series against New Zealand comprising five T20 and three One Day International (ODI) matches. This series will commence on March 16th and conclude on April 5th. Young batsman Salman Ali Agha will captain the T20 team, with Shadab Khan as his deputy. Mohammad Rizwan will lead the ODI team, with Salman Ali Agha serving as his vice-captain. Several new faces have been included in the squads.
Several new players have been included in the Pakistan squad for this series. Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz, and Mohammad Ali have been given their T20 debuts. Akef Javed and Mohammad Ali have also been included in the ODI squad, having showcased excellent performances in domestic cricket.
Pakistan Cricketers with Excellent Domestic Performances
* Abdul Samad: Scored 115 runs at a strike rate of 166.67 in the Champions T20 Cup.
* Hasan Nawaz: Scored 312 runs at a strike rate of 142.47 in the Champions T20 Cup.
* Mohammad Ali: The most successful bowler in the Champions T20 Cup with 22 wickets.
* Akef Javed: Took 7 wickets in the Champions ODI Cup and 15 wickets in the T20 Cup.
Complete Schedule for Pakistan vs. New Zealand Series
March 16th - First T20 Match, Hagley Oval, Christchurch
March 18th - Second T20 Match, University Oval, Dunedin
March 21st - Third T20 Match, Eden Park, Auckland
March 23rd - Fourth T20 Match, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
March 26th - Fifth T20 Match, Sky Stadium, Wellington
March 29th - First ODI, McLean Park, Napier
April 2nd - Second ODI, Seddon Park, Hamilton
April 5th - Third ODI, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Pakistan T20 Squad
Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Shadab Khan (Vice-Captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahanadad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Omar Bin Yusuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Moqim, and Usman Khan.
Pakistan ODI Squad
Mohammad Rizwan (Captain), Salman Ali Agha (Vice-Captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akef Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Moqim, and Tayyab Tahir.
