Babar Azam returns as Pakistan unveil squad for Australia ODI series

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled a 16-member squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia on Friday, May 22. Star batter Babar Azam, who was not a part of the away ODI series against Bangladesh in March, has been recalled to the side. Along with him, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim have also been brought back.

Apart from the senior players, some fresh faces have also been added to the squad, as Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas and Rohail Nazir have been picked, who are yet to represent Pakistan in ODI cricket.

Wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan was not considered for selection due to illness. In his place, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir have been named as the glovemen.

Meanwhile, senior batter Fakhar Zaman and all-rounder Saim Ayub missed out on selection as they continue their rehabilitation after injuries. The Pakistan squad will assemble in Islamabad to begin their preparations for the series under the coaching staff from Saturday, May 23. 

On the other hand, the Australian team will also arrive in the city on the same day and will take part in training sessions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The two teams will face off in a three-match ODI series, with the matches scheduled to be played on May 30, June 2 and June 4.

The series opener will be played in Rawalpindi, while the remaining two matches will be hosted in Lahore. Australia’s first bilateral ODI tour of Pakistan since 2022, when the hosts secured a 2-1 series victory.

Pakistan’s squad for ODI series against Australia: 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 (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir (wicket-keeper), Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain and Sufyan Moqim