Lahore – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its 15‑man T20I squad and 16‑man ODI squad for the white‑ball clash against South Africa, Sri Lanka and a forthcoming tri‑series that will set the stage for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Babar Azam is back with the team, following a break after the South Africa series in December 2024 and the 2025 Asia Cup. Other key players returning for the T20Is include
Abdul Samad and Naseem Shah. The ODI side sees Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf and Haseebullah return, while Usman Tariq is the sole uncapped player in the T20I lineup.
Salman Ali Agha will lead Pakistan in the T20Is, and Shaheen Shah Afridi will captain the ODIs for the first time. Both captains are looking to build momentum ahead of the upcoming tournaments.
Current Test action
Pakistan is currently hosting South Africa in a home Test series at Rawalpindi. After the Tests, the Proteas face Pakistan in a three‑match T20I and ODI series. This will be followed by a three‑match ODI series with Sri Lanka.
Tri‑series build‑up
The T20I tri‑series will see Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe face off from November 17‑29. Originally scheduled as a Pakistan–Sri Lanka–Afghanistan affair, Afghanistan pulled out amid political tensions, leaving Zimbabwe as the third team.
Match schedule and venues
- T20I series vs. South Africa – Rawalpindi and Lahore, October 28‑November 1
- ODI series vs. South Africa – Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, November 4‑8
- ODI series vs. Sri Lanka – Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, November 11‑15
- T20I tri‑series – Rawalpindi and Lahore, November 17‑29
Squad highlights
T20I squad (captain: Salman Ali Agha)
Babar Azam, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Nawaz brothers (Mohammad & Mohammad Wasim Jnr), Faheem Ashraf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Saim Ayub, Sheikhzada Farhan, Usman Khan (WK), Usman Tariq.
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Moqim.
ODI squad (captain: Shaheen Shah Afridi)
Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and a few more supporting players.
With top talents fresh on the board, Pakistan looks to sharpen its white‑ball edge and prepare for the growing competition in the lead‑up to the 2026 World Cup.
Source: ianslive
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