Babar Azam & Rizwan Return to National Cricket Team

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced an 18-member squad for the upcoming home Test series against South Africa, with Shan Masood continuing as captain. Among the key returns are star batter Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, who rejoin the side alongside pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The squad includes three uncapped players: left-arm spinner Asif Afridi, young wrist-spinner Faisal Akram, and wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir. The national training camp is set to take place in Lahore from September 30 to October 8, with players involved in the Asia Cup joining on October 4.

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The first Test will be played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, from October 12 to 16, while the second Test is scheduled for October 20 to 24 in Rawalpindi.

Other notable names in the squad include Abdullah Shafiq, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, all-rounder Aamir Jamal, and pacers Hassan Ali and Khurram Shahzad. The spin attack is bolstered by the presence of Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Kamran Ghulam, and Abrar Ahmed, in addition to the new call-ups.