Farhan Backs New-Look Pakistan For Sri Lanka T20I Series

Pakistan will begin a new Twenty20 International phase against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Friday, with Sahibzada Farhan leading a reshaped squad that does not include several of the country’s most familiar names. The three-match series is being framed as an important test for a changed combination as Pakistan looks beyond its previous core and prepares for the next cycle of the shortest format.

Farhan, who recently captained a second-string Pakistan side to a silver medal at the Asian Games in Japan, said the new group is ready for the challenge. Pakistan lost the Asian Games final to India, but the campaign gave several emerging players exposure in a competitive environment before this home series.

The squad for the Sri Lanka series does not feature Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Agha or Mohammad Rizwan. The changes reflect a wider attempt to refresh the side before the 2028 T20I World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with selectors giving younger and less established players a chance to settle into defined roles.

Farhan expressed confidence that the new combination could find rhythm during the series. He said he understood the demands of captaincy and was not feeling pressure before the opening match, signalling that Pakistan will try to use the series as both a competitive assignment and a development opportunity.

Babar’s recent T20I form has been under scrutiny, and he was also left out of Pakistan’s final match against Sri Lanka at the Twenty20 World Cup in February. Shaheen, meanwhile, remains outside the T20I setup but will captain Pakistan’s one-day international team in a tri-series involving Sri Lanka and England from October 18 in Rawalpindi.

Sri Lanka will also arrive with a squad in transition. Kusal Mendis is leading the visitors, while leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and former captain Charith Asalanka are not part of the tour. Hasaranga’s absence is significant because he has been one of the most successful bowlers in T20I cricket, with 163 wickets in 101 matches.

Mendis said Sri Lanka would miss Hasaranga but backed other players in the squad to take responsibility. He also noted that several Sri Lankan players have experience of Pakistan conditions through the Pakistan Super League, which could help them adjust quickly during the series.

The upcoming contest will be the ninth bilateral T20I series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the 250th international cricket match between the two countries. Pakistan have won 18 of their 30 T20Is against Sri Lanka, while the visitors have won 12. The first match will be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with the remaining fixtures scheduled at the same venue on October 11 and 13.