Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi for Pakistan - (Source: AFP)
On Sunday, September 28, Pakistan came close to winning an Asia Cup title, but could not respond to the mastery of Indian batters and once again found themselves at the losing end. It was a tough pill to swallow for the Men in Green as India snatched a win out of the jaws of defeat.
Talking about Salman Ali Agha, he had a big responsibility on his shoulders to uplift the standards of Pakistan cricket in the absence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. However, the right-handed batter failed to put on a strong show and failed miserably.
There were reports that if Pakistan doesn't produce desirable results, then Salman Ali Agha might face the axe from the team. At present, it looks unlikely that the PCB will push Salman for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Thus, if the PCB decides to sack Salman Agha for the T20 World Cup 2026, then this article will shed light on the three players who can lead Pakistan for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
1 . Babar Azam: A dial back to the OGs
Pakistan cricket has hit a rockbottom, and reports indicate that the PCB will revert to its OGs to bring the team back onto the track. The issue here for Pakistan is that the T20 World Cup 2026 is just four months away, and in such a short time, it is hard for the Mohsin Naqvi-led board to prepare a youngster in the team to take command of the team.
Now, the option PCB has is to go back to Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. However, the board will likely go back to the former because of the recent reports suggesting that PCB considered adding Babar Azam to the Asia Cup squad.
Also, reports suggest that Babar might make a return to the T20I set-up for the South Africa series, and it is likely that Pakistan will go back to Babar as the captain till the 2026 T20 World Cup.
2. Shaheen Afridi To Get A 2nd Chance?
Shaheen Afridi is another option for Pakistan. Shaheen's tenure was short-lived as he captained the nation in just five matches, clinching a win in only one match, which was against New Zealand. The PCB quickly moved on from Afridi for a leadership role, but in terms of crisis and absence of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam in the squad, the southpaw should be the first answer to PCB's problems.
While Afridi's captaincy records for Pakistan are quite poor, the 25-year-old has done great for Lahore Qalandars in PSL. Talking about his stats, Shaheen boasts a 51% win percentage and has also led his side to three titles.
| Series/Opponent | Matches as Captain | Wins | Losses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs New Zealand (2024) | 5 | 1 | 4 | Only T20I series as captain |
| PSL | 45 | 23 | 19 | Led Team To 3 Titles |
3. Sahibzada Farhan: A Leader in Form
The PCB can also make a bold move and look at Sahibzada Farhan as the next T20I captain, as he is the man in form. Notably, the right-handed batter scored 217 runs in the tournament, the highest for Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025.
The 29-year-old didn't shy away from taking on the best bowlers and also showed positive intent, which is the need of the hour. Thus, Farhan can be a great option for Pakistan.
