Babar Azam's comeback headlines Pakistan's Test squad amidst key omissions

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ByDebayan Sinha, SportsCafe Editor

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Pakistan has unveiled their squad for the upcoming white and red-ball series against South Africa. Notable absentees from the Test team include Shaheen Afridi and Sajid Khan, as the selectors opted for a pace-heavy lineup, featuring five fast bowlers for the Test series in South Africa.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the squads for the much-anticipated South Africa tour, where Pakistan will play three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who had returned to the Test setup during the Australia tour after missing the England series, has once again been left out of the Test squad. However, he remains part of the white-ball squads. Replacing Afridi in the Test side is right-arm pacer Mohammad Abbas, who last played a Test match in Jamaica in August 2021. Abbas has an impressive record of 90 wickets in 25 Tests and had a stellar run in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, taking 31 wickets in just five matches.

Joining Abbas in the Test pace attack are Naseem Shah, who is making a comeback after missing the last two Tests against England, and Khurram Shahzad, who earned his spot after a strong performance for Pakistan Shaheens against Sri Lanka ‘A,’ claiming 15 wickets. Left-arm pacer Mir Hamza rounds out the four-man pace attack. Off-spinner Sajid Khan, despite his impressive tally of 19 wickets against England, has not been included. The selectors have opted for a lone specialist spinner, Noman Ali, considering the conditions at Centurion and Newlands. Ali, who excelled in the England series with 20 wickets in two Tests, has 67 wickets in 17 Tests overall.

In the white-ball squads, former skipper Babar Azam has been named in all three formats alongside wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, opener Saim Ayub, and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha. The white-ball team also sees the inclusion of Sufyan Muqeem, who earned his maiden ODI call-up following his remarkable performance in the second T20I against Zimbabwe, where he claimed five wickets for just three runs.

Pakistan squads for South Africa tour:

Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha

ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wk)

T20Is: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wk)

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