Babar, Naseem recalled as PCB announces 16-member squad for Australia ODIs

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 16-member squad on Friday for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, scheduled from May 30 to June 4 in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

According to a press release issued by the cricket board, “Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas and Rohail Nazir are the three players selected in the squad who are yet to represent Pakistan in ODI cricket”.

It added that left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the side, while Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim — who were not part of the away ODI series against Bangladesh in March — have been recalled.

Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Nazir have been named as the two wicketkeeper-batters in the squad after Usman Khan was not considered for selection due to illness, the PCB said.

The board further stated that Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were not considered for selection as they had earlier been ruled out due to injuries and “will continue their rehabilitation programmes under the supervision of the PCB medical panel”.

“The 16-member squad will assemble in Islamabad tonight and will begin training under the coaching staff from Saturday (May 23),” the PCB said.

The Australian men’s team will arrive in Islamabad on Saturday. They will also take part in training sessions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, details of which will be announced in due course, it added.

16-member 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 (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir (wicket-keeper), Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain and Sufyan Moqim