Is Shaheen Afridi’s leave confirmed? These 3 new stars may get a chance on the New Zealand tour
After an embarrassing exit from the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Pakistan cricket team is now preparing for a limited-overs series against New Zealand. Five T20 and three ODI matches will be played between the two teams. Although the ODI matches do not hold much importance for them at the moment, the T20 series will give Pakistan a chance to find its best combination for the T20 World Cup 2026.
According to media reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may rest senior players for this tour. If reports are to be believed, big names like Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah will not be seen in the T20 series against New Zealand.
Pakistan’s T20 team is currently going through a transition phase. The team management is now planning to give opportunities to the youth. In such a situation, some players may be seen in the series against New Zealand. If these players get a chance, they can prove to be important for Pakistan’s T20 future.
These 3 new stars may get a chance on the New Zealand tour
1. Zaman Khan
The name of Pakistan’s young fast bowler Zaman Khan has been in the headlines in the T20 circuit for a long time. This 23-year-old bowler has taken 129 wickets in 103 T20 matches so far. During this, his average has been 23.69 and his strike rate 16.6. Zaman has also taken 44 wickets in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Apart from swinging the new ball, Zaman also has the ability to trouble batsmen with his yorkers and slower balls in the death overs. Last year, he took 10 wickets in 8 matches in the National T20 Cup. If Shaheen Afridi is rested in such a situation, Zaman Khan’s return to the team is considered certain.
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2. Yasir Khan
With opener Saim Ayub injured and Fakhar Zaman struggling with fitness issues, the opening slot is a big concern for the Pakistan team. On top of that, the team management is planning to drop Babar Azam from the T20 setup. In such a situation, 22-year-old Yasir Khan may get a surprising entry.
Yasir has so far scored 915 runs in 35 innings in his short T20 career. During this, his average has been 26.91 and his strike rate 138.21. In the National T20 Cup last year, he scored 350 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 144.62. Yasir’s explosive batting can help the team get a quick start in the power play.
3. Mohammad Imran
Pakistan’s emerging 24-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Imran has been performing consistently well in domestic cricket for some time now. Apart from swinging the new ball, Imran troubles batsmen with his slower balls and variations in the middle and death overs.
Imran has taken 73 wickets in 53 T20 matches played so far. His bowling average is 23.10 and his strike rate is 16.6. Last year, he took 20 wickets in the National T20 Cup. The special thing is that he took these wickets at an average of 11 and a strike rate of 10.80, while his economy rate was only 6.11.
Imran has been knocking on the team’s doors for a long time and if Shaheen is rested, he could get a surprise call for the New Zealand tour.
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