Pakistan Tour Squad: Shaheen Rested, Babar Leads All Formats

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled its squads for the highly anticipated tour of South Africa, set to feature three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Test matches.

The tour, which begins on December 10 with the T20Is, will provide Pakistan with crucial preparation ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, to be hosted on home soil.

Leadership Roles

Shan Masood has been named captain of the Test squad, while Mohammad Rizwan will lead the team in both ODIs and T20Is.

Building Momentum for Champions Trophy

Interim white-ball head coach Aqib Javed emphasized the importance of the tour, stating:

“Our focus in ODIs is to continue building momentum ahead of the Champions Trophy, while the T20I series provides a platform to blend experience with emerging talent.”

Javed also defended the decision to rest Shaheen Afridi for the Test matches, citing the need to manage his workload and ensure optimal fitness for the marquee tournament.

Key Inclusions and Exclusions

Test Squad: Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas makes a return after a stellar domestic season, while Khurram Shahzad and Mir Hamza bolster the pace attack.

Noman Ali is the sole specialist spinner, with Sajid Khan left out despite a strong showing against England.

Shaheen Afridi: Included in white-ball squads but rested for Tests as part of workload management.

South Africa Tour Schedule

T20Is:

Dec 10: 1st T20I, Durban

Dec 13: 2nd T20I, Centurion

Dec 14: 3rd T20I, Johannesburg

ODIs:

Dec 17: 1st ODI, Paarl

Dec 19: 2nd ODI, Cape Town

Dec 22: 3rd ODI, Johannesburg

Tests:

Dec 26-30: 1st Test, Centurion

Jan 3-7: 2nd Test, Cape Town

Squads

T20I

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 Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk).

ODI

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 Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk).

Test

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.

The tour promises to be a critical test for Pakistan as they fine-tune their combinations and build confidence ahead of the Champions Trophy.