Babar back in T20 fold as Pakistan name squads for home white-ball series

Pakistan’s Babar Azam plays a shot during the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2022 cricket final match between England and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on November 13, 2022 in Melbourne. — AFP

Usman Tariq earns his maiden call-up in T20I squad.
Naseem, Abdul Samad make return to shortest format.
Haris Rauf, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah recalled in ODIs.

LAHORE: Former captain Babar Azam has made a comeback to Pakistan’s T20I squad as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday announced squads for the upcoming white-ball home series with South Africa, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Babar last represented the national side in T20Is against South Africa in Centurion in December 2024 and had been sidelined for the series against Bangladesh, West Indies, and the Asia Cup 2025.

A 15-member squad has been named for the T20I series against South Africa and the subsequent tri-nation event, while a 16-member lineup has been selected for the ODIs against South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha has been retained as the T20I captain, and Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the national team in ODIs for the first time. In the T20I squad, Abdul Samad and Naseem Shah also made their return, while Usman Tariq earned his maiden call-up.

For the ODIs, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, and Haseebullah have been recalled to the national setup.

The three-match T20I series between Pakistan and South Africa will be held in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 28 October to 1 November, followed by a three-match ODI series in Faisalabad from 4 to 8 November.

Pakistan will then host Sri Lanka for another ODI series in Rawalpindi from November 11 to 15, before turning their attention to the T20I tri-series (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe) from November 17 to 29 .

Pakistan T20I squad (15-member):

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 (wicket-keeper), Usman Tariq.

Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Moqim.

Pakistan ODI squad (16-member):

Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.