The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the squads for the upcoming tour of South Africa, set to take place from December 10 to January 7, which will include three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Test matches. This tour is considered crucial for building momentum ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Babar Azam will captain Pakistan in all three formats, joined by key players like Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha. Fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi also return, with Shaheen featuring in the white-ball formats following his absence from the recent Test series against England. Fakhar Zaman was not included, as he is still working on regaining form and fitness.
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In the Test squad, fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who has not played since August 2021, returns after a standout performance in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he took 31 wickets in five matches. Meanwhile, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, and Naseem Shah also join the squad for the South Africa tour. Despite his strong performance against England, off-spinner Sajid Khan was excluded in favor of Mohammad Abbas due to South Africa’s pace-friendly conditions.
For the ODI squad, left-arm wrist-spinner Sufyan Moqim earned his first call-up after his impressive showing in the T20I series against Zimbabwe. Interim white-ball coach Aqib Javed highlighted the “horses-for-courses” approach in selection, designed to ensure the squads are well-balanced and suited for the conditions in South Africa. He also confirmed that the decision to rest Shaheen Shah Afridi for the Tests was part of a workload management plan ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
The tour will begin with T20Is in Durban, Centurion, and Johannesburg, followed by ODIs in Paarl, Cape Town, and Johannesburg. The Test matches are scheduled for Centurion and Cape Town from December 26-30 and January 3-7, respectively.
Pakistan’s squads for South Africa tour:
Tests:
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
ODIs:
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)
T20Is:
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)
Aqib Javed emphasized that consistency in ODI selections is key for ICC Champions Trophy preparations, while the T20 squad includes a mix of experienced players and emerging talent. For the Test squad, the focus is on adaptability and competing in challenging conditions.
