The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed the playing XI for the third T20I against Australia at Bellerive Oval, Hobart. With Australia already securing the series, Pakistan has opted to rest skipper Mohammad Rizwan, handing the captaincy to Agha Salman for this dead rubber. This match marks Salman’s debut as captain, following his recent appointment as Rizwan’s deputy in white-ball cricket.
Pakistan has replaced Naseem Shah with left-arm pacer Jahandad Khan in the playing XI. Although the PCB has not issued an official statement, reports suggest they dropped Naseem due to his prolonged struggles in T20Is. Despite an impressive performance in the ODI series, he managed only one wicket in the T20Is at an economy rate of 13.6, making him ineffective on Australian pitches.
Jahandad Khan’s inclusion adds depth to both Pakistan’s bowling attack and lower-order batting. The rest of the playing XI remains largely unchanged from the second T20I. Babar Azam is expected to open alongside Sahibzada Farhan, while Haseebullah Khan replaces Rizwan as wicketkeeper. Usman Khan, Agha Salman, and Muhammad Irfan Khan will lead the middle-order batting.
Pakistan’s bowling attack features a mix of experience and youth, with Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abbas Afridi, and Sufyan Muqeem joining Jahandad Khan to challenge Australia’s strong lineup.
Pakistan’s Playing XI for 3rd T20I vs Australia:
Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan (WK), Usman Khan, Salman Ali Agha (C), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Haris Rauf, Sufyan Muqeem.
With the series outcome decided, Pakistan will aim to end on a high and test their bench strength effectively.
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