Lahore [Pakistan], December 4: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the squads for the upcoming tour of South Africa, which will feature eight matches over the next month. The series will include three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests, as part of the ICC World Test Championship.
Key changes in the squads:
- Star fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has been dropped from the Test series to focus on preparations for the 2025 ICC Cricket World Cup.
- Fakhar Zaman, the explosive opener, has not been included due to ongoing fitness concerns.
- Despite a strong showing in the home series against England, Sajid Khan has been left out of the Test squad. Instead, Mohammad Abbas has been selected, given the pace-friendly conditions expected in South Africa.
- Shan Masood will lead Pakistan in the Test series, while Mohammad Rizwan has been named captain for the white-ball formats. Star batter Babar Azam is included in all three squads.
Aqib Javed, the selector and interim white-ball head coach, explained the decision to leave out Sajid Khan despite his excellent performance against England. He said, “We have adopted a horses-for-courses policy to ensure all three squads are well-balanced and capable of performing strongly in South Africa. Leaving out Sajid Khan was a tough decision, but considering the pace-friendly conditions in Centurion and Cape Town, Mohammad Abbas was the right choice due to his seam bowling skills.”
The tour will begin with a three-match T20I series, starting on December 10 in Durban. The second match will be played on December 13 in Centurion, and the final match will take place in Johannesburg on December 14.
Following the T20Is, Pakistan will play three ODIs, beginning on December 17 in Paarl. The second match will be held in Cape Town on December 19, with the final ODI taking place on December 22 in Johannesburg.
The Test series will commence on December 26-30 in Centurion, with the second Test scheduled for January 3-7 in Cape Town.
Pakistan Squads:
Test Squad:
- 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
- Salman Ali Agha
ODI Squad:
- 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 Afridi
- Sufyan Moqim
- Tayyab Tahir
- Usman Khan (WK)
T20I Squad:
- 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 Afridi
- Sufyan Moqim
- Tayyab Tahir
- Usman Khan (WK)