On Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed the teams for the forthcoming series against South Africa, which is set to start on December 10.
With the announcement that the series will be played in both red-ball and white-ball forms, several important players who had been sidelined because of injuries or workload management have made their comebacks.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, a fast bowler, will return to the white-ball team after missing the last two Test matches against England. His inclusion is thought to be a crucial step in guaranteeing optimal fitness prior to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. In the ODIs and T20Is against South Africa, Afridi, who has been recuperating from workload-related issues, will be hoping to contribute.
The seasoned fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who was called up to the Test team following an outstanding showing in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, is another important addition.
Abbas demonstrated his excellent form and made a compelling argument for his selection with an outstanding 31 wickets in five games. Abbas, who hasn’t played Test cricket since 2021, will give Pakistan’s bowling attack vital depth in the red-ball format.
Naseem Shah is back in the ODI and Test squads after missing the most recent England series owing to injury. Pakistan will rely heavily on the 21-year-old’s speed and ability to disrupt top-order batsmen in both formats.
Along with the seasoned players, a number of fresh talents have been called up. After making an impression with the Pakistan Shaheens, Khurram Shahzad has won a position in the Test team, while Mir Hamza also returns. Following impressive performances in the T20I series, left-arm wrist spinner Sufyan Moqim was called up for the first time for the 50-over format and was added to the ODI squad.
On the other hand, off-spinner Sajid Khan has been excluded despite playing well in the England series. Only one specialist spinner, Noman Ali, has been chosen by the selectors to be a member of the Test team.
Pakistan test squad:
- Shan Masood (captain)
- Saud Shakeel (vice-captain)
- 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
Pakistan ODI Squad:
- Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk)
- Abdullah Shafique
- Abrar Ahmed
- Babar Azam
- Haris Rauf
- Kamran Ghulam
- Mohammad Hasnain
- Muhammad Irfan Khan
- Naseem Shah
- Saim Ayub
- Salman Ali Agha
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Sufyan Moqim
- Tayyab Tahir
- Usman Khan (wk)
Pakistan T20I Squad:
- Mohammad Rizwan (captain & 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 Shah Afridi
- Sufyan Moqim
- Tayyab Tahir
- Usman Khan (wk)
