Why Naseem Shah is Not Playing Today in PAK vs AUS 1st T20I?

Pakistan are taking on Australia in the first T20I game on January 29 at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The 3-match T20I series will end on February 1, a week before the commencement of the ICC Men's T20 World 2026. The series will help both teams in practicing for the upcoming marquee event.

Salman Ali Agha is leading Pakistan in this series and will continue to do so in the upcoming T20 World Cup. He won the toss and decided to bat first. During the toss, the all-rounder revealed that the fast bowler Naseem Shah has been omitted from the playing XI against Australia.

Why Naseem Shah is Not Playing Today Against Australia?

The Men in Green have named a strong playing XI for the PAK vs AUS 1st T20I but Naseem Shah's absence caught the eyes of the fans. There are no reports regarding Naseem Shah's injury so far and it is believed to be a tactical call.

Naseem Shah replacement for the match could be Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is returning from a knee injury. This is his comeback game and since he is also included in the T20 World Cup squad, it's important for him to get back in shape. Shaheen, who is one of the best T20 bowlers, was playing in the Big Bash League (BBL) where he sustained an injury and was called by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take proper rest and recover.

Apart from him, Salman Mirza is also playing. The presence of two left-arm seamers at the top provides an exciting prospect as Pakistan aim to topple the Aussies on home soil. Their batting line-up looks sorted as well that should help them throughout the series.

Naseem Shah's T20I Career

Pakistan's pacer Naseem Shah is arguably one of the best bowlers in the world. He last played a T20I match on January 11 against Sri Lanka when he picked up one wicket and conceded 35 runs in three overs. He also played in the ILT20 2025-26 season where he claimed 11 wickets in eight matches.

Pakistan have Shaheen, Naseem, and Salman Mirza as frontline bowlers for the T20 World Cup 2026. They don't have Haris Rauf for the tournament, who was shockingly dropped despite doing well in the Big Bash League.

If we look at Naseem's overall T20I record, he has played in 34 games and picked up 30 wickets at an average of 33.16. While his record isn't the best, Pakistan will hope that he is at his best in the upcoming ICC event.

Pakistan Playing 11 for 1st T20I Against Australia

Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha (c), Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed