Pakistan squads for Australia and Zimbabwe tours named

Lahore: The Pakistan cricket selectors have announced the 15-member squads for the upcoming tours to Australia and Zimbabwe, where the national team will compete in three ODIs and three T20Is each. The tour of Australia will take place from November 4 to 18, while the matches in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, are scheduled from November 24 to December 5.

The PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, will reveal Pakistan’s white-ball captain at a media conference in Lahore on Sunday at 3:30 PM.Rizwan confirmed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain

Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi return for the matches in Australia after being rested for the last two Tests against England, but they will be rested again for the Zimbabwe tour. Mohammad Rizwan is available for the ODIs and Zimbabwe ODIs but will sit out the T20Is in Zimbabwe.

This strategy aligns with the selectors’ rotation policy, offering chances to domestic players, in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy and beyond.

The ODI squad features uncapped players Aamir Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Saim Ayub. Jahandad Khan and Salman Ali Agha are also included in the T20I squad for the first time.

Kamran Ghulam, Omair Bin Yousuf, and Sufyan Moqim will make their national debuts after previously participating in limited-overs internationals. Kamran served as a concussion substitute for Haris Sohail against New Zealand in January 2023, while Omair and Sufyan debuted in T20I against Hong Kong during the Asian Games.

Fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain, who recently excelled in the Champions One-Day Cup with 17 wickets, returns to the ODI squad after last playing against New Zealand in January 2023.

In addition to Babar, Naseem, Rizwan, Salman, and Shaheen, four other players are included in both the ODI and T20I squads: Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, and Muhammad Irfan Khan.

Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Faisal Akram, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, and Saim Ayub are selected only for the ODIs, while Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufyan Moqim, and Usman Khan will join the T20Is.

Seven ODI squad members—Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi—will leave for Melbourne on Monday, October 28, with the remaining ODI players departing on Tuesday, October 29. Pakistan’s white-ball coach, Gary Kirsten, will join the squad in Melbourne on October 28.

ODI SQUAD:
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:
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

Domestic Performers in Pakistan’s Squads for Zimbabwe ODIs and T20Is:

Apart from Salman Ali Agha, the other players selected for both formats include Ahmed Daniyal, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Mohammad Hasnain, and Muhammad Irfan Khan.

Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Faisal Akram, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, and Shahnawaz Dahani are in the ODI squad and will be replaced by Arafat Minhas, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, and Usman Khan for T20Is.

Haseebullah, Haris Rauf, Muhammad Irfan Khan, and Salman Ali Agha will be part of both squads from the start of the Australia tour to the end of the Zimbabwe tour.

ODI SQUAD:
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, Tayyab Tahir

T20I SQUAD:
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, Usman Khan

Schedule of Pakistan’s White-Ball Matches Against Australia and Zimbabwe: