After a 1-1 draw in the two-match Test series between Pakistan and South Africa, the teams will next lock horns across white-ball formats, playing three T20Is followed by three ODIs. The Pakistan squad for the same was announced earlier today with the highlight being former Pakistan captain and star batter Babar Azam making a return to the Pakistan T20I setup after almost a year’s gap.
Babar’s last T20I game came during their South Africa tour in December 2024 and has since been out of the format due to his poor returns. In fact his last T20 outing came during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year.
However, his inclusion for the upcoming SA T20Is implies that Babar will once again be an all-format player for Pakistan. The recent move can be an indication of the direction Pakistan are moving with the T20 World Cup 2026 lined up next year. The same T20I squad will also take part in the Pakistan T20I tri series, which starts from November 17 to 29 and will feature Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
On the other hand, Shaheen Afridi, who was recently made ODI captain after removing Mohammad Rizwan from the post, will have his first assignment as new leader during the three-match ODI leg which precedes the T20Is. For the unversed, Afridi previously had a short stint as T20I captain when when Babar Azam stepped down as all-format leader following a disappointing 2023 ODI World Cup campaign.
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Shahen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq
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