Pakistan’s long build-up to the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup enters its final stretch this evening when Salman Agha’s new-look side meet Bangladesh in the first of three night-games at Gaddafi Stadium. The short series, squeezed into the calendar after New Zealand’s April tour, is being treated inside the camp as the last open audition before the selectors forward their 15-man squad to the ICC early next month.
Fresh captain, open spots
The matches will be Pakistan’s first home T20Is under Salman, the middle-order batter who replaced Mohammad Rizwan in March after a string of early-round exits last season. Shadab Khan stays on as deputy; senior quick Shaheen Afridi is being rested following the PSL and a knee flare-up. “We want to lock the XI that fits slow Caribbean pitches,” Salman told reporters on the eve of the opener.
Middle-order power remains the biggest headache. Azam Khan, Usman Khan and veteran Iftikhar Ahmed have been put on notice: runs now or stay home in June. With Fakhar Zaman still short of form and Babar Azam limited to the ODI set-up, at least two batting slots are genuinely up for grabs.
Bowling puzzle
Chief selector Wahab Riaz wants clarity on the death-overs plan. Haris Rauf returns after shoulder rehab and will share new-ball duties with Naseem Shah, while Mohammad Amir—back from retirement—needs overs in match heat to justify a World Cup berth. Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim, whose economy in the powerplay earned him a PSL recall, could sneak into the final squad if he keeps Bangladesh’s right-handers quiet.
Why Bangladesh matter
On paper the tourists, ranked ninth, look modest. They have lost eight of their last twelve T20Is and were turned over by the USA earlier this month. But their orthodox spinners and disciplined quicks often expose Pakistan’s impulse to over-attack in the middle overs. The Pakistan think-tank sees the challenge as perfect rehearsal for slow, low Caribbean strips where cutters and sliders rule.
Security questions had hung over the tour after last month’s border flare-up with India, but the PCB persuaded Dhaka to proceed with a shortened, three-match itinerary entirely in Lahore. All tickets have been sold; the board confirmed the Decision Review System will be in place after striking a late deal with broadcasters.
What’s at stake
With only two warm-ups pencilled in once the squad lands in Florida, these matches are effectively the last dress rehearsal. Batting coach Mohammad Yousuf said the staff would “mark players on game awareness, not net form.” The final squad is expected 48 hours after the third match on 1 June.
Pakistan lifted the T20 crown in 2009; anything short of a semi-final in 2026 will be judged failure by a restless fan base. For now, the road to Miami and Barbados starts under Lahore’s floodlights—three evenings that will decide more than a few boarding passes.
