Babar, Naseem return as Pakistan name squads for white-ball series

WEB DESK: Babar Azam and pacer Naseem Shah headline Pakistan’s squads for the upcoming white-ball series, marking their return to the national side as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled lineups for T20 Internationals (T20Is) and One Day Internationals (ODIs). These new squads are for the games against South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe. The upcoming series will feature a mix of bilateral contests and a Tri-Nation T20 event, promising an exciting stretch of cricket in the home season.

Salman Ali Agha will lead the T20I once again, while Shaheen Shah Afridi continues as skipper of the ODI squad.

T20I and ODI Series Breakdown

Pakistan will kick off the action with a three-match T20I series against South Africa from October 28 to November 1, serving as a prelude to the more competitive ODI fixtures that follow.

The national side will then host Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe for a Tri-Nation T20 Series from November 17 to 29, with matches split between Rawalpindi and Lahore. Pakistan’s white-ball season will wrap up with a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka from November 11 to 15 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Squad Changes and Key Call-ups

Among the notable developments, Usman Tariq, a promising young all-rounder, has earned his maiden call-up to the T20I squad as selectors continue to inject fresh talent into the setup.

Babar and Naseem’s inclusion, alongside all-rounder Abdul Samad, strengthens the T20I squad with experience and firepower, particularly after their absence from recent assignments.

In ODIs, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, and Haseebullah make their return, reinforcing Pakistan’s depth across departments.

Squads in Full

T20I Squad
Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (Wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (Wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem

ODI Squad
Shaheen Shah Afridi (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha

With a packed schedule ahead, Pakistan will aim to strike the right balance between form and experimentation. The return of Babar and Naseem, alongside the emergence of newcomers like Usman Tariq, reflects a strategy that blends experience with youth as the team builds towards next year’s major international tournaments. Here are the fixtures:

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