Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam will feature in Tests as well as both the white-ball formats on the team’s upcoming tour of South Africa, but fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been rested for the red-ball leg of the tour.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi’s exclusion from the Test squad is a strategic decision to ensure he remains physically and mentally fresh for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Similarly, Fakhar Zaman was not considered as he is yet to regain form and match fitness,” said former Pakistan pacer Aqib Javed, who is a member of the selection committee and also the team’s interim white-ball head coach.
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Afridi’s fellow pacer Naseem Shah has been included in the Test and ODI squads. Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas has also been recalled to the Test squad, ending his wait of more than three years to make a comeback to the national team.
Pakistan will play three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests. The tour commences with the T20 series, and the tour-opening match is scheduled for December 10.
Noman Ali is the lone specialist spinner in the Shan Masood-led Test squad, while Sajid Khan has been unlucky to miss out despite his good show of late.
“Leaving out Sajid Khan, despite his stellar performances against England, was an extremely tough and difficult decision. However, considering the pace-friendly conditions at Centurion and in Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas instead, who is an outstanding exponent of seam bowling,” Javed said.
The T20I squad will depart for South Africa on Friday. Pakistan team is currently in Zimbabwe, with the concluding T20I to be played on Thursday.
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Pakistan squads for South Africa tour:
Tests: Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), 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 and Salman Ali Agha
ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (c/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 and Usman Khan (wk)
T20Is: Mohammad Rizwan (c/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 and Usman Khan (wk)
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