{
  "id": 12178188,
  "title": "Sahibzada Farhan to lead Pakistan T20I side against Sri Lanka; Shaheen Afridi retains ODI captaincy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/sahibzada-farhan-to-lead-pakistan-t20i-side-against-sri-lanka-shaheen",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-05T15:31:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2034963/sahibzada-farhan-to-lead-pakistan-t20i-side-against-sri-lanka-shaheen-afridi-retains-odi-captaincy"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Monday the selection of Sahibzada Farhan to lead the T20I team against Sri Lanka in the upcoming three-match series, while Shaheen Shah Afridi retains his ODI captaincy for the subsequent tri-series featuring England and Sri Lanka. The T20Is will be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 9, 11, and 13, before Pakistan takes on England and Sri Lanka in the seven-match ODI tri-series. Farhan, who captained Pakistan at the recent Asian Games, replaces Salman Ali Agha, who has been omitted from the T20I squad but remains part of the ODI team. The T20I squad features uncapped all-rounders Razaullah and Mohammad Imran Randhawa. Razaullah made an impact in his Test debut against England, while Randhawa has been included as a medium-pace bowling all-rounder. Maaz Sadaqat and Abdul Samad also return to the T20I side after their previous representation in March 2025. Hasan Nawaz, Pakistan's leading batter at the Asian Games, is included for his impressive performances. Fast bowler Naseem Shah, who hasn't played for Pakistan since February 2026, re-joins the T20I squad, along with Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, and Abrar Ahmed. The ODI squad retains an experienced core, featuring Babar, Salman, Haris Rauf, and Faheem Ashraf. Hasan Nawaz and Razaullah also return to the ODI setup. Wicket-keeper-batter Saad Baig and left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Moqim are notable additions to the squad, while Mohammad Ghazi Ghori is included as a wicket-keeper-batter. The PCB also made changes to the coaching staff, with former Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait returning as bowling coach in a consultancy capacity, replacing Ashley Noffke, who left to take up the head coach’s position with the Netherlands.",
  "summary": "Sahibzada Farhan will lead Pakistan in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, while Shaheen Shah Afridi has retained the ODI captaincy for the subsequent tri-series involving England and Sri Lanka, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Monday. The T20Is will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Oct 9, 11 and 13 before Pakistan host England and Sri Lanka in a seven-match…",
  "key_points": [
    "Sahibzada Farhan leads Pakistan T20I team against Sri Lanka",
    "Shaheen Afridi retains ODI captaincy for England and Sri Lanka tri-series",
    "PCB changes coaching staff, appoints Shaun Tait as bowling coach"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}