Misbah-ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed join new Pakistan selection committee after T20 World Cup 2026

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced a new Men's National Selection Committee following the resignation of Aleem Dar. Former Pakistan captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed have been added to the selection panel to replace the veteran umpire.

According to the PCB’s official website, the new four-member committee consists of Aaqib Javed, Misbah-ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Asad Shafiq. This development comes days after Pakistan’s disappointing campaign ended during the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

Aleem Dar Steps Down as Pakistan Men's Team Selector After 17 Months

Aleem Dar resigned from the selection committee after repeatedly feeling sidelined in key selection discussions. His decision ends a 17-month stint as a selector, having been appointed on October 11, 2024, to a revamped panel.

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According to a report by Geo News, Dar stepped down after several of his selection decisions were ignored by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and T20I captain Salman Ali Agha.

Dar claimed that Hesson and Agha consistently picked what he considered the wrong final 15 for the World Cup squad. During these disagreements, senior selector Aaqib Javed reportedly offered no resistance.

🚨 OFFICIAL - THE NEW SELECTION COMMITTEE OF PAKISTAN. 🚨

Misbah Ul Haq & Sarfaraz Ahmed have been added to Selection panel.#PakistanCricket #SarfrazAhmed pic.twitter.com/oMQdOTNH5c

— Shahnawaz Rajpar (@iamSkrajpar) March 5, 2026

Selectors' Disagreements Over Babar Azam and Shadab Khan

Dar was not in favour of the inclusion of experienced players Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, and Usman Khan for the T20 World Cup 2026. He strongly opposed their selection and believed that better-performing players should have been preferred instead.

The veteran umpire also proposed that wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan should bat at number six instead of Usman Khan, but his suggestion was ignored. Rizwan last played a T20I for Pakistan against South Africa in 2024 and has not been recalled to the team since.

Babar had an underwhelming World Cup, managing just 91 runs in four innings at a strike rate of just over a run-a-ball. The former Pakistan skipper was eventually dropped from the playing XI against Sri Lanka. Shadab picked up only five wickets with the ball during the tournament.

Pakistan's Forgettable T20 World Cup Campaign

Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign began with a narrow escape against the Netherlands and a win over the United States. However, the Salman Ali Agha-led team suffered a defeat against India in Colombo. A win over Namibia helped them reach the Super 8 stage as the second-best team in Group A.

In the Super 8 stage, their first match was washed out against New Zealand due to rain. They then suffered a defeat to England, which derailed their semifinal hopes. Although they beat Sri Lanka in their final match, the victory margin was not enough to surpass New Zealand’s net run rate.

The Men in Green will next play a three-match ODI series against Bangladesh in Dhaka from March 11 to 15. Babar Azam and Saim Ayub were dropped from the squad, while Shaheen Afridi retained his place as ODI skipper.

Also read: PCB officially backs Salman Agha, Shaheen Afridi for white-ball captaincy; Mike Hesson to continue as head coach