National T20 Cup 2026: New captain named as Rizwan excluded from Peshawar squad
PESHAWAR: Hosts Peshawar Region have made notable changes to their squad ahead of the National T20 Cup 2026, which will be held at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar from 7 to 18 March.
The tournament sees a shift in leadership, with wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan withdrawing from the competition. All-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed has been named as the new captain of the Peshawar side.
Following Rizwan’s exit, the squad has also been strengthened by the addition of all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, who is set to feature in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Lahore Whites have bolstered their line-up with Pakistan stars Babar Azam and Naseem Shah.
Both players, initially absent from the squad announcement, will now play under the captaincy of Aamir Jamal. The team has further strengthened its ranks with the inclusion of Ahmed Daniyal and Mohammad Salman.
A total of 10 regional teams will compete across 23 matches at the Peshawar venue, which hosted nine Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixtures in October and November 2025.
The ten participating regional teams are Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Karachi Whites, Karachi Blues, Lahore Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan and Sialkot.
The sides have been split into two groups. Group A comprises Lahore Whites, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Karachi Whites and Bahawalpur.
Group B features the defending champions, Lahore Blues, alongside Sialkot, Multan, Abbottabad and Karachi Blues.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. The group stage runs from 7 to 16 March, with two matches scheduled daily.
The first match begins at 4:15 PM PKT, followed by the second at 9:15 PM PKT. The final is scheduled for 8:00 PM PKT, with the toss at 7:30 PM.
Iftikhar Ahmed’s Peshawar Region will open their campaign against Lahore Whites on 7 March, followed by a clash with Karachi Whites on 11 March.
Updated Peshawar Region squad for National T20 Cup 2026:
Iftikhar Ahmed (c), Ahmed Hussain (U21), Azam Khan, Ihsanullah, Mohammad Nawaz (Guest), Israrullah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Shoaib (U21), Mohammad Imran Jnr, Nabi Gul, Sajid Khan, Usman Tariq, Waqar Ahmed and Yasir Khan. Web Desk
