Pakistan has announced its squads for the upcoming tour of South Africa, which will feature eight matches over the next month. The series includes three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests as part of the ICC World Test Championship.
The selection of these squads takes into account preparations for next year's ICC Champions Trophy, with star fast bowler Shaheen Afridi being left out of the Test series to focus on 50-over cricket for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Another key player, opener Fakhar Zaman, was not considered due to ongoing fitness issues.
There is also a notable omission in the Test squad with Sajid Khan, despite his strong performances against England, not being included. Instead, seamer Mohammad Abbas has been selected, as his skills are better suited for the pace-friendly conditions expected in South Africa.
Shan Masood will lead Pakistan in the Test series, while Mohammad Rizwan for the white-ball matches. Star batter Babar Azam is part of all three squads, alongside other key players.
Aqib Javed, the selector and interim head coach for the white-ball team, said, “We have adopted a horses for courses policy to ensure all three squads are well-balanced and capable of performing strongly in South Africa."
“Leaving out Sajid Khan, despite his stellar performances against England, was an extremely tough and difficult decision. However, considering the pace-friendly conditions at Centurion and in Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas instead, who is an outstanding exponent of seam bowling." he further added.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi’s exclusion from the Test squad is a strategic decision to ensure he remains physically and mentally fresh for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Similarly, Fakhar Zaman was not considered as he is yet to regain form and match fitness.” the Selector said.
“Our aim is to maintain consistency in ODI selections as part of our ICC Champions Trophy 2025 preparations, while also giving emerging talent opportunities in T20Is alongside experienced players. For Tests, we have focused on assembling a squad that can adapt to challenging conditions and consistently compete at the highest level." Aqib added.
“The Test series against South Africa will be highly competitive, but we are confident in our team’s ability to secure a historic series win. Our focus in ODIs is to continue building momentum ahead of the Champions Trophy, while the T20I series provides a platform to blend experience with emerging talent.” Aqib said.
Squads for Pakistan’s tour of South Africa:
Test Squad:
Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
ODI Squad:
Mohammad Rizwan (c, wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk)
T20I Squad:
Mohammad Rizwan (c, wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk)
Series Schedule:
First T20I: December 10, Durban
Second T20I: December 13, Centurion
Third T20I: December 14, Johannesburg
First ODI: December 17, Paarl
Second ODI: December 19, Cape Town
Third ODI: December 22, Johannesburg
First Test: December 26-30, Centurion
Second Test: January 3-7, Cape Town