The PCB has announced Pakistan’s squads for upcoming tours of Australia and Zimbabwe, bringing back Babar Azam for the ODI and T20I series after his absence in the recent Tests. Major changes include omissions like Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman. A new white-ball captain has yet to be announced, with expectations high for the future leadership of the team.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the squads for the highly awaited tours of Australia and Zimbabwe. Babar Azam, who recently stepped down as captain, has been reinstated for the one-day international (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Australia after being omitted from the squad for the last two Test matches against England. Pakistan’s tour of Australia will comprise three ODIs and three T20Is starting on November 4, followed by a visit to Zimbabwe for a six-match white-ball series commencing on November 24. Significant changes were made to the previous ODI and T20I squads, with notable omissions including Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman from both tours. Interestingly, the PCB did not announce a new white-ball captain as part of the squad release. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is scheduled to disclose the new captain for Pakistan’s white-ball team during a media conference in Lahore on Sunday at 3:30 PM local time. The PCB statement indicated that “Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who were given a break from the last two Tests against England, return for the Australia matches but will be rested for the Zimbabwe tour.” Additionally, “Mohammad Rizwan will be available for the Australia matches and Zimbabwe ODIs, but will be rested from the Zimbabwe T20Is.” The following are the announced squads: Pakistan ODI squad for Australia tour: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi. Pakistan T20I squad for Australia tour: Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan. Pakistan ODI squad for Zimbabwe tour: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir. Pakistan T20I squad for Zimbabwe tour: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan. This announcement sets the stage for pivotal matches for Pakistan, particularly as they seek to rejuvenate their white-ball format under potentially new leadership.
The announcement of the Pakistan squads for the Australia and Zimbabwe tours comes at a critical time for the national team. Following a period of review and changes within the leadership, the PCB aims to stabilize its squad while addressing performance concerns reflected in previous matches, particularly against teams like England. The absence of key players such as Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman signals a strategic shift as the PCB prepares for upcoming challenges in international competition. The uncertain captaincy situation adds an element of intrigue as the team anticipates the future direction of its leadership under the yet-to-be-announced figure for white-ball formats.
In summary, the PCB’s announcement of the squads for the Australia and Zimbabwe tours has major implications for Pakistan cricket. The return of Babar Azam along with key players such as Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi underscores their importance for upcoming series. However, the exclusions of Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman represent significant shifts within the team’s composition. As the PCB moves forward, the revelation of a new captain is highly anticipated, which will likely influence the team’s performance in the coming matches.
Original Source: www.indiatvnews.com
