For the forthcoming home T20 series against South Africa and a tri-Series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe next month, Pakistan’s T20 team has called up former captain Babar Azam and fast bowler Naseem Shah.
Babar is back with young, hard-hitting Abdul Samad and Naseem after missing the T20 format since December of previous year. From October 28 to November 1, Pakistan and South Africa will play their Twenty20 International series in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
From November 17 to 29, the tri-series will also take place at the same venues.
From November 4 to 8, a three-match ODI series between South Africa and Pakistan, who are presently playing the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, will take place at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.
From November 11 to 15, a second three-match ODI series versus Sri Lanka will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Babar and Naseem are also part of Pakistan’s ODI team.
The national selectors’ choice to reassemble the team that suffered three straight losses to bitter rivals India in the most recent Asia Cup, including the final, is allegedly the reason behind Babar’s return to the shortest format.
His recent success in the current Test series against South Africa and Pakistan’s batting difficulties in the shortest format are also being blamed.
Both wrist spinner Sufyan Muqeem and seasoned opener Fakhar Zaman were overlooked by the selectors.
Despite Muhammad Haris’s exclusion from the T20 team, wicketkeeper-batsman Usman Khan is another noteworthy choice.
The only uncapped player in the T20I squad is mystery spinner Usman Tariq. Haseebullah, Haris Rauf, and Faisal Akram have rejoined the ODI team.
T201 squad: 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 ODI squad: 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 (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
