Babar, Shaheen, Naseem return

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Sunday unveiled a 15-member squad for Pakistan’s upcoming limited-overs tour to Australia, with former captain Babar Azam and ace pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah returning to the lineup.

Following a recent break from Pakistan’s Test series against England, these players are set to lead Pakistan’s limited-overs lineup in a series of three ODIs and three T20Is against Australia from November 4 to 18.

The tour will then proceed to Zimbabwe, where Pakistan will play another set of three ODIs and three T20Is from November 24 to December 5.

Pakistan will begin their ODI and T20I tour of Australia Tour with an opening ODIs at Melbourne (Nov 4), Adelaide (Nov 8), Perth (Nov 10) while T20Is will be played at Brisbane (Nov 14), Sydney (Nov 16), Hobart (Nov 18).

The selectors have balanced experience with youth by incorporating uncapped players into the lineup, providing opportunities for promising domestic performers. Aamer Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Saim Ayub are in the ODI squad, while Jahandad Khan and Salman Agha have been called up for the T20Is.

In line with the PCB’s rotation policy, Mohammad Rizwan will participate in the Australia series and Zimbabwe ODIs but will sit out the T20Is in Zimbabwe.

Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah will also be rested during the Zimbabwe series, as selectors look to maintain player fitness and ensure readiness for high-stakes tournaments.

Veteran players Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Sarfaraz Ahmed, who had previously been part of Pakistan’s central contract list, were not selected for these tours.

“This change in lineup reflects a broader shift towards investing in emerging players who have excelled domestically,” said one of the selectors.

Kamran Ghulam, who served as a concussion substitute in the past, and fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain, who recently took 17 wickets in the Champions One-Day Cup, are among the key returning players for the ODI series.

Squads for Australia:

ODIs: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi

T20Is: Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan

Squads for Zimbabwe:

ODIs: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir

T20Is: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan.