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LAHORE: Several major changes were made to the Pakistan One-day International squad on Friday as the national selection committee announced a 16-member party for the forthcoming home series against Australia.
The three-match series starts in Rawalpindi on May 30, which will be followed by two matches in Lahore on June 2 and 4.
Seven players have been inducted into the squad, who were not part of the last away series against Bangladesh held in March this year, which Pakistan lost 2-1.
In a major change, frontline batter Babar Azam returned to ODI duty.
Right-handed Babar, a veteran of 140 ODIs, missed the series in Bangladesh with a fitness issue but scored 588 runs in this year’s Pakistan Super League to lead Peshawar Zalmi to their second PSL title to stage a comeback.
The squad also sees the return of pacer Naseem Shah, who played his last ODI in November, and leg-spinner Shadab Khan who will be looking to take the field in an ODI after playing the 2023 World Cup.
Young left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem also makes a comeback in the ODI squad after finishing as the highest wicket taker in the PSL with 22 scalps.
Fast bowler Ahmed Daniyal, spinning all-rounder Arafat Minhas and wicket-keeper/batter Rohail Nazir were selected in the ODI squad for the first time.
The players who retained their places in the squad include Abdul Samad, Ghazi Ghori, Sahibzada Farhan, Shamyl Hussain, Maaz Sadaqat, Abrar Ahmad and Haris Rauf.
“Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir have been named as the two wicket-keeper/batters in the squad after Usman Khan was not considered for selection due to illness,” the PCB said in a statement.
It added that aggressive openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub will miss the Australia series as both the southpaws recover from injuries under the PCB medical supervision.
Whereas the campaigners who could not retain their places in the ODI team include veteran wicket-keeper/batter Mohammad Rizwan, all-rounder Hussain Talat, leg-spinner Saad Masood, wrist spinner Faisal Akram, fast bowler Mohammad Wasim and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf.
Faisal did not play any ODI in Bangladesh this year but in his brief career spanning four matches — against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka — he showed his talent by taking seven wickets.
Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the ODI side with Salman Ali Agha as his deputy.
Pakistan, whose batting as well as bowling flopped in the Bangladesh series, will need to lift their game significantly if they are to challenge Australia.
The Australian squad, who won their last ODI series against India 2-1 at home in October last year, is scheduled to arrive in Rawalpindi on Saturday.
The members of the Pakistan squad will start training under the coaching staff from Saturday.
Squad:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir (wicket-keeper), Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufiyan Muqeem
Team management: Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Hanif Malik (batting coach), Shane McDermott (fielding coach), Iftikhar (physio), 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), Mohammad Ehsan (masseur).
Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026
