Pakistan aim for a stronger team approach under Sahibzada Farhan’s T20I captaincy
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
Pakistan are set to begin a new chapter in T20 cricket as Sahibzada Farhan takes charge of the national side, with the new captain looking to build a team that is less dependent on individual stars and more focused on aggressive, flexible cricket.
Pakistan will face Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series, with the opening game scheduled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Farhan has taken over the captaincy from Salman Ali Agha after leading Pakistan to a silver medal at the recent Asian Games. He was also Pakistan’s leading run-scorer at the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he accumulated 383 runs.
The new captain will begin his tenure without former skipper Babar Azam and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who are not part of the 15-member squad.
Farhan, however, has played down the pressure surrounding his appointment and said his focus is on helping the team win matches while adopting a more positive approach in the shortest format.
“There is pressure because you are leading from the front, but we will not allow that pressure to affect us,” Farhan said during a press conference in Rawalpindi.
The 26-year-old said his experience in domestic cricket and at the Asian Games had helped prepare him for the responsibility. He described the current squad as a combination of young players and experienced campaigners, with Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan among the senior members.
Farhan also wants Pakistan’s top order to play with greater aggression. His own batting style has been based on scoring quickly and putting pressure on opposition bowlers.
He has scored 1,305 runs in 46 T20Is at an average of around 30 and a strike rate close to 137. He has also registered two centuries in the format.
One of those centuries came against Sri Lanka during the Super Eights of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Farhan and Fakhar Zaman produced a record 176-run partnership in that match.
His recent performances have strengthened his position as an important part of Pakistan’s new setup. The squad also includes Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed, along with several players with limited international experience.
Farhan stressed that selection remains the responsibility of the selectors and said his role is to get the best possible performance from the players chosen for the squad.
“This is the Pakistan team; it doesn’t belong to anyone. Doors are open for everyone,” he said when asked about the absence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
Pakistan have experienced inconsistency and frequent changes in their T20 setup in recent times. The current team appears to be moving towards a more flexible approach, with opportunities for younger players alongside experienced cricketers.
Sri Lanka confident ahead of Rawalpindi series
Sri Lanka will enter the series under captain Kusal Mendis after suffering a 3-0 T20I defeat against England.
Mendis believes his team can still take positives from that tour, particularly in bowling and fielding.
He said conditions in Pakistan would be different from those in England and that Sri Lanka had worked on several new strategies ahead of the series.
Mendis also expressed confidence in his younger players and backed them to give their best throughout the three matches.
The Sri Lankan captain identified bowling as one of the team’s main strengths while admitting that Pakistan’s pace attack would provide a significant challenge.
The Rawalpindi pitch is also expected to favour batting, potentially making the opening match an entertaining contest between two sides looking to build momentum.
For Pakistan, the series is an important opportunity for Farhan to establish his leadership style and help the team develop greater consistency in T20 cricket.
The results of the three matches will provide an early indication of whether Pakistan’s new approach can deliver the aggressive and adaptable cricket the new captain is aiming for.
