Pakistan announce 16-member squad for three-match ODI series against Australia
Lahore, May 22
The Pakistan Cricket Board has named a 16-member squad for the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia, scheduled from May 30 to June 4 in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
According to the PCB website, Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named the captain, with Salman Ali Agha set to serve as vice-captain.
The squad also sees the return of key players, including Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, and Sufyan Moqim, who had missed the ODI series against Bangladesh in March.
Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas and Rohail Nazir are the three uncapped players in the squad for the Australia ODIs.
Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sahibzada Farhan, and Shamyl Hussain have all retained their spots after featuring in the Bangladesh series. Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir have been named as the wicketkeeper-batters, with Usman Khan ruled out due to illness.
The 16-member squad will assemble in Islamabad later today and will train under the coaching staff from Saturday. The Australian time will arrive in Islamabad on Saturday. They will also take part in training sessions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub are still recovering from injuries and were not included in the squad.
Notably, earlier this year, Pakistan hosted Australia for a three-match T20I series and completed a 3-0 sweep over the visitors.
Pakistan squad for Australia ODIs
Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain and Sufyan Moqim.
Australia tour of Pakistan schedule:
First ODI: May 30, Rawalpindi
Second ODI: June 2, Lahore
Third ODI: June 4, Lahore.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see Pakistan giving chances to uncapped players like Ahmed Daniyal and Arafat Minhas. They've been performing well in domestic cricket. But missing Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub due to injuries is a big blow - their aggressive batting at the top makes a huge difference. Australia will be a tough test on these pitches.
Nice to see Pakistan cricket moving forward with some bold selections. The squad has a good mix of youth and experience. Shaheen Shah Afridi as captain is a progressive move - he's been exceptional in all formats. Hope the series is competitive and injury-free for both sides. Cricket in the subcontinent always brings excitement! 🇵🇰
Honestly, I think Pakistan's selectors could have been more balanced. Too many all-rounders and not enough specialist batsmen. That middle order looks shaky without proper depth. And Shaheen as captain? Bit too early maybe - he's only recently returned from injury. Australia won't be pushovers this time.
Exciting times for Pakistan cricket! The inclusion of young talents like Ahmed Daniyal and Arafat Minhas shows they're planning for the future. Love seeing Sufyan Moqim back in the squad - his bowling in the PSL was phenomenal. Hope the Rawalpindi and Lahore crowds turn up to support the team. Cricket in Pakistan is back in a big way! 🙌
If I were a Pakistan fan, I'd be cautiously optimistic. The bowling attack is world-class with Shaheen, Naseem, Haris, and
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