The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled the squads for their upcoming South Africa tour, which will feature eight matches, including three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests as part of the ICC World Test Championship. The month-long tour is set to begin on December 10 with the first T20I in Durban.
Star pacer Shaheen Afridi has been rested for the Test series to focus on preparations for the 2025 50-over World Cup. Opener Fakhar Zaman was not considered due to fitness issues. Meanwhile, Sajid Khan, who recently impressed against England, has been excluded from the Test squad. Selectors instead opted for seamer Mohammad Abbas, considering the pace-friendly conditions in South Africa.
ALSO READ
Shan Masood will lead the Test side, while Mohammad Rizwan has been named captain for the white-ball formats. Star batter Babar Azam, a mainstay across all formats, has been included in all three squads.
In a statement, selector and interim white-ball head coach Aqib Javed explained the rationale behind the selections. “We have adopted a horses-for-courses policy to ensure all three squads are well-balanced and capable of performing strongly in South Africa. Leaving out Sajid Khan, despite his stellar performances against England, was an extremely tough decision. However, considering the conditions at Centurion and Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas, who excels in seam-friendly environments,” Javed said.
Also See: Pakistan vs South Africa Series Schedule
Schedule of Matches
The tour will commence with the T20I series:
- 1st T20I: December 10 in Durban
- 2nd T20I: December 13 in Centurion
- 3rd T20I: December 14 in Johannesburg
Following the T20Is, the ODI series will begin:
- 1st ODI: December 17 in Paarl
- 2nd ODI: December 19 in Cape Town
- 3rd ODI: December 22 in Johannesburg
The Test series will close the tour:
- 1st Test: December 26-30 in Centurion
- 2nd Test: January 3-7 in Cape Town
Pakistan Test squad: Shan Masood (C), Saud Shakeel (VC), 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.
Pakistan ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (C/WK), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (WK).
Pakistan T20I squad: Mohammad Rizwan (C/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 Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (WK).
Also See: Pakistan Cricket Schedule | South Africa Cricket Schedule
Get every cricket update! Follow us on
