Babar, Shadab named in Pakistan's strong squad for Australia ODIs
What's the story
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, starting on May 30 in Rawalpindi. The team will be led by star pacer Shaheen Afridi, with several high-profile players making their return to the one-day setup. Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf are some of the big names included in the list.
Squad composition
Three uncapped players in the squad
The squad also features three uncapped ODI players: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, and Rohail Nazir. All three have previously represented Pakistan in T20I matches. However, Usman Khan has been ruled out due to illness. Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Nazir will serve as the two primary wicketkeepers for the series.
Pre-series preparations
Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub ruled out
The Pakistani squad will gather in Islamabad on Friday for a training camp ahead of the ODI series. Notably, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub have been ruled out due to previous injuries. They will continue their rehabilitation under the supervision of PCB's medical panel. This is part of the board's effort to ensure all players are fit and ready for international duty. Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan could not find a place in the squad.
Match fixtures
A look at the schedule
Australia will arrive in Pakistan on May 23, with their first stop being Islamabad. The first ODI of the series will be played on May 30 in Rawalpindi, while the remaining two matches are scheduled for Lahore on June 2 and June 4. This will be Australia's first ODI series against Pakistan since late 2024, when Pakistan won their maiden series in Australia after a gap of 22 years.
Information
Here is the squad
Squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Salman Ali Agha (vx), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Rohail Nazir (wk), Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, and Sufyan Moqim.