The Pakistan men’s selection committee has unveiled the squads for the upcoming tour of South Africa, set to take place from December 10 to January 7. The Pakistan will play three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests.
Babar Azam has been included in all three squads, alongside Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha, while Naseem Shah has been selected for the Tests and ODIs. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was also sidelined for the last two Tests against England, has been named in the white-ball squads as part of his workload management, ensuring he reaches peak fitness and form for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, who impressed with 15 wickets for Pakistan Shaheens against Sri Lanka ‘A’ last month, has also earned a spot in the Test squad. Meanwhile, Mir Hamza, the fourth pacer in the 15-man Test lineup, is currently playing for Peshawar in their match against Lahore Whites in Abbottabad.
Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who last played in the Test squad during the tour of Jamaica in August 2021, makes his return. Abbas, who has claimed 90 wickets in 25 Tests, was in superb form during the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, taking 31 wickets in just five matches.
Naseem Shah, who was excluded from the squad for the last two Tests against England, has been included in the four-man pace attack. The 21-year-old, with 19 Tests under his belt since his debut in November 2019, has already taken four wickets for Lahore Whites in their ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match against Peshawar in Abbottabad.
Despite outstanding performance against England, off-spinner Sajid Khan has not been selected. The selectors, factoring in the conditions at Centurion and Newlands, as well as South Africa’s playing style, have chosen to include only one specialist spinner, Noman Ali. Ali, who took 20 wickets against England, has 67 wickets from 17 Tests. Pakistan’s powerhouse Fakhar Zaman was also not considered in the squad as Pakistan’s head coach Aaqib Javed believes that he still has to regain his “form and match fitness”.
Javed also clarified that Shaheen Shah Afridi’s omission from the Test squad was a calculated strategy. “The decision to exclude Shaheen Shah Afridi from the Test squad is a tactical measure to ensure he stays physically and mentally prepared for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.”
Also making his debut selection for the ODI squad is left-arm wrist spinner Sufyan Moqeem, who has impressed with eight wickets in two T20Is, including a remarkable five-wicket haul for just three runs in the second T20I.
Pakistan’s squads for the South Africa tour:
Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk)
T20Is: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk)
Aqib Javed added, “Our aim is to maintain consistency in ODI selections as part of our ICC Champions Trophy 2025 preparations, while also giving emerging talent opportunities in T20Is alongside experienced players. For Tests, we have focused on assembling a squad that can adapt to challenging conditions and consistently compete at the highest level.”
Tour schedule:
- 10 Dec – First T20I, Durban
- 13 Dec – Second T20I, Centurion
- 14 Dec – Third T20I, Johannesburg
- 17 Dec – First ODI, Paarl
- 19 Dec – Second ODI, Cape Town
- 22 Dec – Third ODI, Johannesburg
- 26-30 Dec – First Test, Centurion
- 3-7 Jan – Second Test, Cape Town
Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
