Lahore (TDI): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced Test, ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming tour of South Africa.
Pakistan will play two Tests, three T20Is, and as many ODIs during their month-long tour to Protease lasting from December 10 to January 7, 2025.
Star batter Babar Azam, who was rested for the team’s white-ball tour to Zimbabwe, has returned to the squad, alongside skipper Mohammad Rizwan. Shaheen Afridi, on the other hand, is part of the white-ball squad but has been rested for the two Tests because of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.
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Salman Ali Agha, who captained the Greenshirts during the Zimbabwe tour, has been named in the Test and ODI squads only.
Also returning to the national fold is fast bowler Mohammad Abbas. He last played a Test match in Jamaica in August 2021.
Having taken 90 wickets in 25 Tests, Abbas has been waiting for the call-up in the Test side. He had a stellar Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, claiming 31 wickets in five matches.
Naseem Shah, who was ‘rested’ for the last two home Tests against England, has also been named in Pakistan’s four-man pace attack. The 21-year-old, who has played 19 Tests since making his debut in November 2019, has taken four wickets to date for Lahore Whites against Peshawar in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match in Abbottabad.
Swashbuckling top-order batter Fakhar Zaman has been left out of the squad due to fitness issues.
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Commenting on his exclusion, Pakistan’s interim white-ball head coach and senior member of the selection committee, Aqib Javed, said the left-handed batter had not regained form and match fitness.
Pakistan squads for South Africa tour
Here are all three squads for Pakistan’s forthcoming tour of South Africa.
Pakistan Test Squad vs South Africa
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 and Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan ODI Squad vs South Africa
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 and Usman Khan (wk)
Pakistan T20I squad vs South Africa
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 and Usman Khan (wk)
