Pakistan Unveil 16-Member Squad For Australia Series

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday unveiled a 16-player squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, set to be played from 30 May to 4 June across Rawalpindi and Lahore.

Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue leading the side, while key players Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim have earned recalls after missing Pakistan’s ODI tour of Bangladesh earlier this year.

Youngsters Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas and Rohail Nazir have retained their places in the squad and remain in contention to make their international ODI debuts during the series.

Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir have been named as the wicketkeeping options after Usman Khan was sidelined from selection because of illness.

Meanwhile, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were unavailable for selection as both continue rehabilitation from injuries under the PCB medical staff’s supervision.

The national squad is scheduled to gather in Islamabad later tonight before beginning preparations and training sessions from 23 May under the team management.

Australia’s squad will also reach Islamabad on 23 May and begin practice sessions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ahead of the series opener.

This ODI series will be Australia’s first 50-over tour of Pakistan since 2022, when Pakistan clinched the three-match series 2-1. Earlier this year, Australia visited Pakistan for a T20I series, where the hosts registered a 3-0 whitewash in Lahore.

Pakistan ODI Squad:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain and Sufyan Moqim.

Team Management:
Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Hanif Malik (batting coach), Shane McDermott (fielding coach), Iftikhar (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Col. Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur).

Series Schedule:
23 May – Australia arrive in Islamabad
30 May – First ODI, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
2 June – Second ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
4 June – Third ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore