The Pakistan vs Bangladesh T20I series presents both teams with a valuable opportunity to assess their bench strength ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India. With little at stake, Pakistan took a bold step in the opening match by unleashing a relatively unknown but highly promising pacer — Salman Mirza.
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In a surprise move, Pakistan's stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha handed a debut cap to the 31-year-old left-arm seamer. A rising star in the domestic circuit, Salman Mirza is being viewed as a serious contender to fill the shoes of Shaheen Afridi, who has recently faced a dip in form.
Why Salman Mirza Could Replace Shaheen Afridi
Once considered Pakistan’s spearhead in white-ball cricket, Shaheen Afridi has struggled to maintain his rhythm since the Champions Trophy, prompting selectors to look for new talent. That’s where Salman Mirza comes in.
Mirza, much like Shaheen, is a left-arm pacer known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, especially bringing it back into right-handers. With a natural ability to extract movement and bowl at a lively pace, he’s already drawing comparisons to Afridi. Given his skill set, Mirza could become a long-term replacement if he performs consistently on the international stage.
Salman Mirza’s T20 Stats So Far
Mirza’s domestic T20 record speaks volumes:
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Matches: 23
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Wickets: 39
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Average: 14.74
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Four-Wicket Hauls: 3
Such impressive numbers have earned him a fast track to the national squad, and his three four-wicket hauls in just 23 matches underline his wicket-taking prowess — one of the main reasons he was trusted in the high-stakes T20I opener against Bangladesh.
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