ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Team selection committee has announced the squads for the upcoming tour of South Africa, which will feature three T20 internationals, three One Day Internationals (ODIs), and two Test matches.
Babar Azam, along with Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha, has been included in all three formats. Meanwhile, pacer Naseem Shah has been selected for both the Test and ODI squads.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, who missed the last two Test matches against England due to workload management, has been included in the white-ball squads for the South Africa tour. The team management aims to ensure Afridi is in peak fitness and form for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Test squad sees the return of fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who last played a Test match in August 2021 in Jamaica. Abbas, with 90 wickets from 25 Test matches, impressed in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy with 31 wickets in five matches. He has been included in the four-man fast-bowling unit alongside Naseem Shah.
Sufyan Maqeem, a rising star, has earned a spot in the ODI squad for the first time after taking eight wickets in two T20 internationals, including a remarkable performance of 5 wickets for 3 runs in a T20 against Zimbabwe.
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The national T20 squad will depart for South Africa on December 6, following their third T20 match against Zimbabwe. The ODI and Test squads will leave for Johannesburg on December 13, where head coach Jason Gillespie will join them to oversee the pre-Test series camp.
Squads for the South Africa Tour:
- Test Squad: Shan Masood (Captain), Saud Shakil (Vice-Captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (Wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shehzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (Wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.
- ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (Captain and Wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafiq, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Maqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan.
- T20 Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (Captain and Wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jhandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Umair Bin Yousaf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Maqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (Wicketkeeper).
The tour promises to be a challenging and exciting series for the Pakistani team as they look to build momentum ahead of future international competitions.
South Africa squad
South Africa has announced its squad for the upcoming T20 series against Pakistan, with Heinrich Klaasen set to lead the team.
Notably, key players Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Tristan Stubbs have been excluded from the squad.
The T20 matches between Pakistan and South Africa will be played on December 10, 13, and 14. The series is expected to be a thrilling contest as both teams prepare for the upcoming challenges in the T20 format.
South Africa squad against Pakistan
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