RAWALPINDI: Pakistan will begin their home cricket season with Sahibzada Farhan as their new Twenty20 captain when they face Sri Lanka in a three-match series starting Friday, as selectors continue preparations for the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Farhan becomes Pakistan’s latest T20 captain after Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Salman Ali Agha, with the selectors opting for a fresh leadership approach ahead of the next global tournament.
The opening batter recently led Pakistan to a silver medal at the Asian Games in Japan and said he was looking forward to the challenge of captaining the national side.
“I’m quite excited with this new challenge,” Farhan said at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday. “You guys hope for the best and, Inshallah, we will try to win the series.”
Rawalpindi will host all three T20 internationals over the next five days. Pakistan will then turn their attention to a one-day international tri-series featuring England and Sri Lanka, scheduled to begin on October 18 in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
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Farhan described the squad as a combination of young players and experienced returnees, expressing confidence that the senior players would help him grow in his new role.
“This team is a mixture of youngsters and a few comebacks, especially Fakhar and Shadab,” he said. “I am quite comfortable with both of them. They are seniors and I will learn a lot from them.”
Farhan also dismissed suggestions that the previous captains had lost their chance to return to the T20 side, saying the door remained open for all players.
“They are one of the best players in the world,” he said. “I have to play with the best 15 I have been given by the selectors. They can make a comeback anytime. The doors are open for everyone.”
Sri Lanka Seek Revival After England Whitewash
Sri Lanka arrive in Pakistan looking to recover from a disappointing 3-0 T20 series defeat in England. The team has undergone major changes, with Charith Asalanka, Dilshan Madushanka and Janith Liyanage left out of the squad. Star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga will also miss the series because of injury.
Captain Kusal Mendis, who was named Sri Lanka’s new Test captain on Thursday after Dhananjaya de Silva stepped down, expressed confidence that conditions in Pakistan would offer better opportunities for batters.
“In England we had a little bit of a bad series in T20s,” Mendis said. “The batters know how to play in T20 games in Pakistan, where conditions are different compared to England.”
Sri Lanka have previously inflicted a 3-0 T20 series whitewash on Pakistan on their home soil. An inexperienced Sri Lankan side, led by Dasun Shanaka, achieved the feat in 2019.
However, Mendis acknowledged the challenge posed by Pakistan’s pace attack, which includes uncapped fast bowler Razaullah, known for his six-hitting ability.
The series will provide Pakistan an opportunity to assess their new leadership and squad combinations, while Sri Lanka will aim to bounce back from their England setback ahead of a demanding run of international cricket.
