Pakistan ODI Squad for the Tri-Series 2026 Updated: Saim Ayub Released, Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat In

Pakistan's ODI squad for the rest of the tri-series has changed twice in two days. Saim Ayub was released on Monday 26 October 2026 and Sahibzada Farhan named in his place. A day earlier, leg-spinner Sufiyan Moqim was released and batter Maaz Sadaqat added as cover.

So the squad is still 16 players, but two openers who were left out of the original list are now in it. Below is the updated list, why each change was made in the board's own words, and what it means for Pakistan v Sri Lanka on Tuesday and the final on Saturday 31 October in Lahore.

Saim Ayub asked to go back to domestic cricket

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on 26 October that Saim Ayub asked to return to domestic cricket to work on his batting form and confidence. He made the request after talking to head coach Mike Hesson. The team management and the selectors agreed, and named Sahibzada Farhan as his replacement.

The board's statement, as published, said: "Respecting Saim's decision and appreciating his honest assessment of his current form, the team management and national selection committee have mutually agreed to accept this request." It did not say how long Saim will play domestic cricket or when he could return.

Saim was out for 6 against England on Sunday, in a top order that lost three wickets inside seven overs. Pakistan won only because Shadab Khan made 113 not out from No. 8. That match turned the question of the openers from a debate into a decision.

Sufiyan Moqim was released because of the Lahore pitches

The PCB released Sufiyan Moqim on Sunday 25 October "keeping in view the nature of Lahore pitches", as its brief statement was reported. The left-arm wrist spinner returns to domestic cricket. Maaz Sadaqat was added as cover for players carrying minor niggles.

The decision says a lot about the Gaddafi Stadium surface. Shaheen Shah Afridi took 4 for 46 there on Sunday, and reports say the pitch helped the fast bowlers. A specialist wrist spinner was the obvious player to let go, with Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan still in the squad for spin.

Moqim has taken 8 wickets in 4 ODIs, as reported. He was ill before the 20 October game in Rawalpindi, as our report on Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim's illness recorded at the time.

Pakistan's updated 16-player tri-series squad

After both changes, Pakistan's squad is 16 players under captain Shaheen Shah Afridi. We started from the PCB's original list of 5 October and applied the two changes the board announced on 25 and 26 October.

The roles are our own grouping for easy reading. The original list and the England and Sri Lanka squads are in our page on the tri-series squads for all three teams.

One name may not be fit. Naseem Shah has a dislocated finger on his left hand and is unlikely to play again in the series, a preview reported on 26 October. The PCB has not announced a replacement for him, so he stays on the list above.

Sahibzada Farhan arrives in form from the T20Is

Farhan captained Pakistan in the T20I series against Sri Lanka earlier this month and was its player of the series. He scored 238 runs in three innings, at a strike rate of 165.3. He was left out of the original ODI squad, which was picked before that series.

His figures are in our report on Sahibzada Farhan's 238 runs against Sri Lanka. T20 form does not always carry into 50 overs, but Pakistan's ODI openers have given the side very little. Fakhar Zaman has 26 runs in three matches, as reported.

Maaz Sadaqat is 21 and hit 96 against Sri Lanka

Maaz Sadaqat is a 21-year-old left-handed batter from Peshawar who also bowls left-arm spin. He made his ODI debut against Bangladesh earlier this year. In the second T20I against Sri Lanka on 11 October he hit 96 off 51 balls, in Pakistan's highest T20I total at home, as reported.

Both new players open the batting in T20Is, so Pakistan now have two fresh options at the top. Whether either plays depends on the team management. Nobody has said who will open on Tuesday.

Pakistan play Sri Lanka on 27 October, then the final on 31 October

Pakistan have already qualified for the final with three wins. They play Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, at 1 pm PKT on Tuesday 27 October, and the final is at the same ground at 1 pm on Saturday 31 October. Tuesday's game is the natural chance to try Farhan or Maaz.

Here is how the week looks for the squad.

1. Tuesday 27 October: Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Lahore, 1 pm PKT. A Sri Lanka win puts them in the final.
2. Thursday 29 October: Sri Lanka v England, Lahore, 1 pm PKT. Pakistan do not play.
3. Saturday 31 October: the final, Lahore, 1 pm PKT, toss at 12:30 pm.
4. From 9 November: the Test series against Sri Lanka, with a separate squad.

Timings and teams for Tuesday are in our preview of Pakistan vs Sri Lanka on 27 October. The Test players are listed in the Pakistan Test squad against Sri Lanka.

Common questions

Why was Saim Ayub released from the Pakistan squad?

He asked to return to domestic cricket to work on his batting form and confidence, and the PCB agreed on 26 October 2026.

Who replaced Saim Ayub in the tri-series squad?

Sahibzada Farhan, the T20I captain, who was player of the series against Sri Lanka earlier in October.

Why was Sufiyan Moqim dropped?

The PCB released him on 25 October citing the nature of the Lahore pitches. He goes back to domestic cricket.

Is Maaz Sadaqat in Pakistan's ODI squad?

Yes. He was added on 25 October as cover for players with minor niggles and stays for the rest of the tri-series.

How many players are in Pakistan's tri-series squad now?

Sixteen, the same number as before. Two players left and two joined.

Is Naseem Shah injured?

He has a dislocated finger on his left hand and is unlikely to return in this series, a preview reported. The PCB has not commented.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

We read the PCB's statement on Saim Ayub as published in full by two newspapers on 26 October 2026, a report on the Moqim and Maaz change of 25 October, and a match preview of 26 October for Naseem Shah's injury and Fakhar Zaman's runs. The PCB's own site (pcb.com.pk) blocked our tools behind a security check, and its match centre shows squads only in a full browser, so its releases are quoted as published elsewhere. The original 16 names come from the PCB release of 5 October, read by our desk on 9 October. Farhan's 238 runs come from our own earlier report. The fixture times come from the PCB release of 17 October as recorded in our linked pages. We could not confirm Naseem Shah's fitness or the playing XI for 27 October. The 9 November Test date comes from our report that the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Tests start at 9:30 am PKT.