Pakistan’s cricket selectors have announced a reshuffled 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against world champions Australia, marking the return of star batsman Babar Azam and introducing three fresh faces to the national setup.
Babar, who sat out the recent Bangladesh tour due to fitness concerns, has earned his recall after a spectacular Pakistan Super League campaign where he amassed 588 runs. The former captain’s return adds significant firepower to Pakistan’s batting lineup as they prepare to host one of cricket’s most formidable opponents.
Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue leading the side, with Salman Ali Agha serving as his deputy. The squad also welcomes back key players Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Shadab Khan, all of whom missed the Bangladesh series that ended in a disappointing 2-0 Test defeat earlier this week.
In a major selection surprise, experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan has been dropped entirely from the ODI setup. The decision represents one of the most significant omissions in recent memory, given Rizwan’s established role in Pakistan’s white-ball cricket.
The selectors have rewarded domestic performance by including left-arm spinner Sufyan Moqim, who topped the PSL 2026 wicket charts with 22 scalps. Meanwhile, fast bowler Ahmed Daniyal, spinning all-rounder Arafat Minhas, and wicketkeeper-batsman Rohail Nazir will all make their ODI debuts if selected during the series.
Injuries have ruled out explosive openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub, forcing the team management to explore alternative combinations at the top of the order.
The Australian squad arrives in Islamabad on May 23, with the series opener scheduled for Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 30. The second and third matches will take place at Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium on June 2 and 4.
Both nations view this series as crucial preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup, set to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. For Pakistan, the matches offer an opportunity to rebuild confidence after their recent Test setbacks and fine-tune their white-ball strategy against top-tier opposition.
Tickets for the series go on sale through the Pakistan Cricket Board’s online portal and at 16 TCS Express Centres across Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, with cricket-mad fans expected to snap up seats quickly for what promises to be a thrilling contest between two cricketing powerhouses.
The full squad includes Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, and Sufyan Moqim.
