Babar, Naseem, Shaheen return for Australia white-ball series

New Delhi: The trio of Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who were given a break from Pakistan’s last two Tests against England, stage a return for the Australia white-ball trip, but will again be rested for the subsequent Zimbabwe tour.

While announcing the squads, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan will be available for the Australia matches and but will be rested from the T20I leg of the Zimbabwe tour, though he will play the ODIs. Fakhar Zaman, the left-handed opener, is a notable omission after missing out on a central contract.

With no captain being announced for the tours, PCB added Chairman Mohsin Naqvi will unveil Pakistan’s white-ball captain in a media conference in Lahore at 3:30pm on Sunday. For the Australia trip, apart from Babar, Naseem, Rizwan, Shaheen and Salman Ali Agha, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah and Muhammad Irfan Khan are in both ODI and T20I squads.

Apart from Salman, Jahandad Khan has been in a Pakistan T20I team for the first time. Fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain, named player of the Champions One-Day Cup tournament in Faisalabad last month with 17 wickets and missed out on a central contract, also returns to the ODI side, having last represented Pakistan in the format against New Zealand in January 2023.

PCB said Hasnain, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Faisal Akram, Kamran Ghulam, and Saim Ayub are selected solely for the ODIs and will be replaced by Jahandad, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufyan Moqim, and Usman Khan for the T20Is in Australia.

Babar, Faisal, Haris, Hasnain, Irfan Khan, Naseem and Shaheen will depart for Melbourne on October 28, with the remaining ODI squad players leaving on October 29. Pakistan’s white-ball coach, Gary Kirsten, will join the Pakistan squad in Melbourne on October 28. Pakistan will play three ODIs and as many T20Is against Australia from November 4-18.

For the trip to Zimbabwe, PCB said domestic performers have been heavily rewarded. Ahmed Daniyal, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Tayyab Tahir and Salman Ali Agha have been selected for both formats of the tour.

Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Faisal Akram, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub and Shahnawaz Dahani have been picked in the ODI side for the series against Zimbabwe.

They will be replaced by Arafat Minhas, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi and Usman Khan for the series in the shortest format against Zimbabwe. Pakistan is slated to play three ODIs and as many T20Is from November 24 to December 5 in Bulawayo.

Pakistan ODI squad for Australia tour: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Previously, the PCB announced the central contracts list, with Babar and Rizwan only players in top category. Test skipper Shan Masood is in Category B, but ‘subject to captaincy’. Opener Imam-ul-Haq hasn’t got a central contract too, with Sajid Khan and Noman Ali in Category C.

Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Usman Khan and Irfan Khan have all been given their maiden central contracts in Category D. The 12-month contracts will be effective from July 1, 2024 for a period of 12 months.

Pakistan T20I squad for Australia tour: Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan

Pakistan ODI squad for Zimbabwe tour: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir

Pakistan T20I squad for Zimbabwe tour: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan