BPL set to miss seven Pakistan players following Sri Lanka series call-up

The ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set to lose several Pakistan cricketers, with as many as seven players named in Pakistan's squad for next month's three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

Rangpur Riders will be affected the most, with Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Nafay and Mohammad Nawaz selected in the Pakistan squad. Rajshahi Warriors' Sahibzada Farhan and Dhaka Capitals' Salman Mirza, along with Saim Ayub and Usman Khan, have also been included. All-rounder Shadab Khan has made a return to the national side after regaining full fitness.

The players are expected to remain available for their respective BPL teams during the Sylhet phase, which concludes on January 2. The tournament then moves to Chattogram from January 5 to 12, a phase that will be played without the Pakistani contingent due to international commitments.

Shadab Khan, 27, returns after missing a significant portion of Pakistan's cricket since June because of a shoulder injury. He underwent surgery in Britain and has since regained full fitness.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stated that the squad features several new faces, as some senior players were allowed to participate in the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia.

"Shadab is included in the squad after he regained full fitness for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on January 7, 9 and 11," the PCB said in a release.

Senior batsman Babar Azam and fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali will miss the Sri Lanka tour due to their commitments in Australia.

Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the side as Pakistan enter the final phase of preparations for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, scheduled for February–March in India and Sri Lanka.

Uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Khawaja Nafay has also earned a call-up following consistent performances for Pakistan's second-string teams over the past two years.

Pakistan Squad for Sri Lanka T20Is:
Salman Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq