He has been performing well in the format for a while, and with most main players absent, the selectors decided to try him ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.

• EXPLAINED: Will Fans Really Win INR 1 Crore on Taking One-Handed Catches in SA20 2026?
• Who Is Thomas Balkin, the Pace Sensation From Australia Who Defended 10 Runs in Final Over on BBL Debut?
• Most Runs in International Cricket: Joe Root Enters Elite List After Historic Ashes 2025 Win
• Who Is Khawaja Nafay, Pakistan's Top-Order Batter Picked for Sri Lanka Tour, Contending for a T20 World Cup 2026 Spot?
• Should Babar Azam Remain in Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2026 Plans?

Who is Khawaja Nafay, Pakistan's latest T20I entrant?

Khawaja Nafay is a 23-year-old batter known for his hard-hitting batting. He made his T20 debut in 2024 and has played 32 matches in the format, scoring 688 runs at an average of 23.72 and a strike rate of 132.81 in 32 innings. Additionally, he also has seven fifties and a best of 68.

In the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024, he made his debut for Quetta Gladiators and impressed with his batting attributes in patches. He scored 182 runs at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of 121.33 in 10 innings, including a fifty. In PSL 2025, Khawaja Nafay could only play two innings, scoring 52 runs at a strike rate of 173.33.

He has also played eight BPL games, with 214 runs at an average of 26.75 and a strike rate of 135.44, comprising three fifties. Recently, the batter was part of the T10 League 2025, where he was the leading run-scorer for Quetta Qavalry. Nafay scored 178 runs at an average of 44.50 and a strike rate of 243.83 in eight outings, with a best of 45*.