3 Pakistan players likely to be axed from provisional T20 World Cup squad ft Babar Azam

The upcoming T20 World Cup in 2026 will commence in a month, with the tournament's squad formation having been completed for most teams already. India, Australia and England have stated their playing XI; however, Pakistan has only advised that its provisional squad consists of 16 players, with the management monitoring other players closely for performance and fitness levels. After the conclusion of Pakistan's T20I Series against Sri Lanka, a final squad will be announced and chosen based on performance, combinations tested and any changes necessary before the T20 World Cup.

Since there has been a delay in the announcement of the squad officially, there are a number of players that may not be selected for Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Team; consideration will be given to inconsistent performances or balancing of the team. Players who have been performing poorly, or do not match what the team requires from a strategic standpoint, may not make the cut and will need to make an impression in the series against Sri Lanka to be selected as part of the final squad. The management is searching for a competitive side that has balanced team composition to compete with the top teams on the World Stage. Three players are;

Haris Rauf

During the Asia Cup 2025 final against India when Pakistan lost, Haris Rauf was identified as Pakistan's premier T20 pace bowler; however, Haris has been experiencing a decline in form. His inability to produce economically affordable overs resulted in his failure to deliver for the national team when it mattered. Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah and a fit Shaheen Afridi are available as dependable seam options, perhaps leaving little incentive for a fourth seamer to play at the Sri Lankan venues. Haris' T20I statistics in 2025 (23 wickets from 15 matches at an economy rate of 9.11) indicate the mounting pressure he continues to face.

Over the past three years, Haris' economy rate has increased from 7.76, in 2023, to 9.11, in 2025. The increase in his economy has impacted the results of numerous matches, with Haris unable to keep crucial runs at bay during the most critical stages of matches, which have cost the team at very important times (Asia Cup Final, Brisbane Heat) and has led to some losses. With the national selectors now having three confirmed pacers available along with the ongoing recovery of Shaheen Afridi, it is likely they will omit Haris from the T20 World Cup Squad and utilise their resources for more reliable and consistent bowlers for the marquee tournament.

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Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman has had a terrible year in 2025; his T20 International performances have not been at the level expected of him, and as such, he has been moved down the order to make way for other star players who play in the top order. He has also suffered from injuries, as well as a lack of good form, which have both been major impediments to his ability to perform on a consistent basis. In fact, this year alone, he has played in 22 T20I matches and scored just 512 runs at a strike rate of 127.68, with only two fifties; thus, it is clear that the high strike rate that an opening batsman is expected to produce is no longer attainable for Fakhar.

The difficulties he has experienced with his form have also extended into the ILT20, where he scored just 260 runs in his 12 games with a strike rate of 124.40. Additionally, given that Pakistan currently has several options available to them at the top of the order in Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, and Babar Azam, it is unlikely that Fakhar will receive an opportunity to bat in his preferred opening position. Furthermore, the Pakistan team has numerous options available in the middle order that could take his place; therefore, if he does not regain his form, he could potentially be dropped from the T20 World Cup squad by the selectors.

Babar Azam

Since being dropped from the T20I squad for the Asia Cup, Babar Azam received a message from the Head Coach of Pakistan, Mike Hesson, to improve his strike rate. However, even when Babar was returned to the T20I squad, he continued to have a lower strike-rate tempo during his innings. In the next series that followed when Pakistan faced South Africa and Babar played three matches against them, he scored 79 runs at a strike rate of 117.91 and during the Tri-nation series where he played five matches, he scored 127 runs at a strike rate of 112.39. His stats illustrate that Babar remains unable to increase his scoring rate while playing T20 cricket at present times.

Babar's struggles continued in the BBL 2025, where although he scored two 50s (fifties) in the tournament, he only had a strike rate of 111; even in a batting friendly environment, Babar struggled to dominate. Since the T20 World Cup will be played in Sri Lanka where the majority of the pitches are slower, this environment may not be suitable for Babar as he may need to play in more of an aggressive mode at the top of the order as opposed to being an anchor. Considering that he has not consistently performed at a high level while playing attacking cricket, Babar's role with the squad in a batting-friendly environment where quick runs are the goal remains questionable.