LAHORE: The PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) has officially announced a robust 16-member national squad for the highly anticipated three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Australia, scheduled to commence on May 30.
The Men’s National Selection Committee confirmed that premier left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the ODI side, while all-rounder Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the vice-captain. According to the PCB, the selected contingent features a strategic blend of elite senior experience and promising domestic talent, bringing in three uncapped players—Ahmed Danial, Arafat Minhas, and Rohail Nazir—who are yet to make their format debuts for Pakistan.
The announced unit marks the prominent return of several mainstay stalwarts who were rested during the previous away assignment against Bangladesh in March. Former captain Babar Azam, speedster Naseem Shah, all-rounder Shadab Khan, and young spin asset Sufiyan Muqeem have all been recalled by the PCB to fortify the core playing eleven against a formidable Australian roster.
Selection Committee in their official statement stated that, “this 16-member lineup reflects our current best combinations for the 50-over format. With a massive home series on the horizon, the PCB is focused on giving our primary core ample game time while integrating outstanding domestic performers into the national setup.”
However, the selection committee had to navigate forced changes due to player availability issues. Opening batters Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were completely ruled out of selection contention as they continue their respective rehabilitation programs following recent injuries.
The PCB medical panel will continue to supervise their recovery processes at the National Cricket Academy. Concurrently, explosive batter Usman Khan missed out on the selection entirely due to an ongoing illness, prompting the inclusion of Mohammad Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir as the designated wicketkeeper-batters.
A few notable changes from the prior tour have also been made, with the board dropping Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Saad Masood from the squad. The touring Australian team is scheduled to land in Islamabad on May 23, with matches split between Rawalpindi and Lahore running from May 30 to June 4.
The 16-Member Squad:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Danial, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghouri (wk), Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, and Sufiyan Muqeem.
