LAHORE: Pakistan’s prolific batter Babar Azam has returned to the national side as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the squad for ODI and T20I series against South Africa.
Babar Azam remained out of the T20I squad and had missed the Asia Cup 2025 while fast-bowler Naseem Shah and power-hitter Abdul Samad also made a come back.
Wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan has been ignored in the T20I squad but he has been retained in the ODI squad despite being stripped of captaincy. Shaheen Shah Afridi is the new ODI captain while Salman Ali Agha has been retained as T20I captain despite the dip in form as batter and poor showing as leader of the team in the shorter format of the white-ball Cricket.
Wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Haris made way for Wicket-keeper batter Usman Khan in the T20I squad. Off-spinner Usman Tariq may debut for Pakistan as he is the only uncapped player in the squad.
The PCB has persisted with Saim.Ayub as opener despite his recent failure in the Asia Cup 2025.
The T20I series between Pakistan and South Africa will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 28 October to 1 November, while the T20I tri-series, involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, will be staged at the same venues from 17 to 29 November.
15-member T20I squad
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicket-keeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves
Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Moqim
The PCB also announced a 16-member squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa to be played in Faisalabad. The same squad will play a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi before the tri-series in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Pakistan and South Africa, who are currently playing the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, will also feature in a three-match ODI series to be held at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from November 4 to 8. The ODI series will be followed by another three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from November 11 to 15 .
In the ODI squad, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf and Haseebullah return to the side.
16-member ODI squad
Shahen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Schedule:
South Africa tour to Pakistan
28 October – First T20I at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
31 October – Second T20I at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
1 November – Third T20I at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
4 November – First ODI at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
6 November – Second ODI at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
8 November – Third ODI at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
Sri Lanka tour to Pakistan
11 November – First ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
13 November – Second ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
15 November – Third ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
T20I Tri-Series (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe)
17 November – Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
19 November – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
22 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
23 November – Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
25 November – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
27 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
29 November –Final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
