The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its 15-member squads for the upcoming white-ball tours to Australia and Zimbabwe, set for November and early December. Pakistan will play three ODIs and three T20Is each in both tours, as part of their preparation for defending the ICC Champions Trophy.
Star players Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi are back in the squad for the Australia tour, following a break during the last two Tests against England. They will, however, be rested for the Zimbabwe leg of the tour. Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan is set to participate in the Australia ODIs and Zimbabwe ODIs but will sit out for the Zimbabwe T20Is. This player rotation strategy aligns with the selectors' focus on allowing key domestic performers to shine.
Several standout domestic players have been given a chance, reflecting the selectors' emphasis on preparing a strong squad for the Champions Trophy. New faces in the ODI squad include Aamir Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Saim Ayub. The T20I squad also welcomes Jahandad Khan and Salman Ali Agha for the first time.
Kamran Ghulam, Omair Bin Yousuf, and Sufyan Moqim are set for their national side debuts in the ODIs, though each has prior experience in limited-overs formats. Kamran, for instance, made his ODI debut as a concussion substitute against New Zealand, while Omair and Sufyan debuted during the Asian Games T20I competition against Hong Kong.
Among the other notable inclusions is fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain, who earned his spot in the ODI side after impressive performances in the Champions One-Day Cup, where he took 17 wickets. Hasnain last played for Pakistan in an ODI against New Zealand in early 2023.
Players like Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, and Shaheen Shah Afridi have been selected for both ODI and T20I squads. A select few, including Haseebullah and Haris Rauf, will stay with the squad for the duration of both tours.
The first group of ODI squad members, including Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, and Naseem Shah, will depart for Melbourne on Monday, 28 October. The remaining players will follow on Tuesday, 29 October, with Pakistan’s white-ball coach Gary Kirsten joining the squad directly in Melbourne.
Furthermore, Ahmed Daniyal, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Tayyab Tahir, along with Salman Ali Agha, have been selected for both formats.
Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Faisal Akram, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, and Shahnawaz Dahani will feature in the ODI squad. For the T20I format, they will be replaced by Arafat Minhas, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, and Usman Khan.
ODI Squad for Australia tour: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi
T20I Squad for Australia tour: Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan
ODI Squad for Zimbabwe tour: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir
T20I Squad Zimbabwe tour: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan
Schedule of Pakistan’s white-ball matches against Australia and Zimbabwe:
4 November: ODI, MCG, Melbourne
8 November: ODI, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
10 November: ODI, Perth Stadium, Perth
14 November: T20I, The Gabba, Brisbane
16 November: T20I, SCG, Sydney
18 November: T20I, Bellerive Oval, Hobart
24 November – ODI, Bulawayo
26 November – ODI, Bulawayo
28 November – ODI, Bulawayo
1 December – T20I, Bulawayo
3 December – T20I, Bulawayo
5 December – T20I, Bulawayo