Pakistan’s T20I Squad vs New Zealand Leaked By Ex-Batter!! Babar Azam Out

Pakistan went through a very tough time in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025. Despite their superb performance in the format towards the end of the year with three successive victories in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, they couldn’t qualify for the eight-team tournament.

The Green Brigade was knocked out of the event in just six weeks after their two consecutive defeats against India and New Zealand in Dubai and Karachi.

Pakistan’s poor performance in the Champions Trophy 2025

Pakistan started their campaign at the National Stadium in Karachi, against the Blackcaps. The Mohammad Rizwan-led side couldn’t perform well at home during the tri-series, as they lost the final of the tri-series against the same opponent. Things could have been worse had they not won the highest chase against the Proteas in the competition.

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Rizwan’s army started well with an early wicket against New Zealand but leaked so many runs in the death overs. Chasing 321 was never going to be easy, especially in the absence of their aggressive opening batter, Fakhar Zaman, who injured himself in the field in the first innings.

Babar Azam's 64 runs in 90 balls in the second innings killed the entire momentum. Khusdil Shah and Salman Ali Agha’s firing half-centuries were not enough to bail them out of trouble with the bat in the second innings.

The same story continued even against India in Dubai in their do-or-die encounter. After two quick wickets, Rizwan and Salman put up a century stand for the third wicket, but the speed of the partnership couldn’t put pressure back on the Indian captain, who became more aggressive in the later stage.

Virat Kohli’s unbeaten knock of 100 runs carried the blue brigade over the line as they nearly qualified for the semifinal of the tournament. The defending champions’ final group-stage clash against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi ended in no-result due to persistent rain.

Rashid Latif leaks Pakistan’s T20I and ODI squads for New Zealand tour

After the disappointment of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan will shift their focus to the New Zealand trip, where they will play five T20Is and three ODIs from March 16 to April 05. The reports suggest that many players would be dropped from the side due to their poor performance in the Champions Trophy.

This includes Babar Azam in the T20I squad, whose position was in danger after the poor campaign of the side in the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

Rashid Latif reckons that Mohammad Yousuf will return in the dressing room for Pakistan as the backroom staff, while Shadab Khan can lead the side in the shortest format, while there is no space for Rizwan. Sufiyan Muqeem, Irfan Khan Niazi, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, and Omair bin Yousuf are the young layers for the T20I side.

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Aaqib Javed will continue to play the role of the interim head coach of the side, while Azhar Mahmood will remain the bowling coach and Mohammad Masroor will remain the fielding coach on the tour. Babar may take a break from the 50-over side, while the senior players may not get picked for the ODI side.

Pakistan’s Probable T20I Squad For The New Zealand Tour

Shadab Khan (C), Muhammad Haris, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Khusdil Shah, Hassan Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem, Irfan Khan Niazi, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Abdul Samad, Hussain Talat, Usman Khan, Mohammad Ali