The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 16-member national squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia, with Shaheen Shah Afridi set to lead the side.
The series will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from May 30 to June 4, with all matches starting at 4:30pm local time.
Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue as Pakistan’s ODI captain for the home series against Australia. Salman Ali Agha has been named vice-captain by the National Men’s Selection Committee.
Key players return
Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim have returned to the national team. Babar, Naseem, Shadab and Sufyan were not part of Pakistan’s away ODI series against Bangladesh in March.
Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas and Rohail Nazir have been included in the ODI squad. All three players are yet to represent Pakistan in One-Day International cricket.
Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir have been selected as the two wicketkeeper-batters in the squad. Usman Khan was not considered for selection due to illness.
Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were also not considered for the series. Both players had earlier been ruled out due to injuries and will continue their rehabilitation programmes under the supervision of the PCB medical panel.
Pakistan squad to assemble in Islamabad
The 16-member squad will assemble in Islamabad later tonight. Pakistan’s players will begin training under the coaching staff from Saturday, May 23.
The PCB said a media advisory regarding the training camp will be shared in due course.
Australia’s men’s cricket team will arrive in Islamabad on May 23. The visiting side will also hold training sessions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with further details to be announced later.
Pakistan’s 16-member ODI squad
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain and Sufyan Moqim.
Naveed Akram Cheema will serve as team manager, while Mike Hesson is the head coach.
The support staff includes Ashley Noffke as bowling coach, Hanif Malik as batting coach, Shane McDermott as fielding coach, Iftikhar as physiotherapist, Grant Luden as strength and conditioning coach, Talha Ejaz as analyst, Syed Naeem Ahmad as media manager, Col. Usman Anwari as security manager, Dr Wajid Ali Rafai as team doctor and Muhammad Ehsan as masseur.
Series schedule
May 23: Australia arrive in Islamabad
May 30: 1st ODI, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
June 2: 2nd ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
June 4: 3rd ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
