Fakhar Zaman misses out as Pakistan announces squads for South Africa tour

Islamabad — The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced squads for the upcoming tour of South Africa, scheduled from December 10 to January 7.

The tour will include three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Test matches, with a focus on building momentum ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam is named in all three squads, joined by Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha. Fast bowler Naseem Shah returns for both the ODIs and Tests, while Shaheen Shah Afridi has been selected for the white-ball formats after missing the last two Tests against England.

Similarly, Fakhar Zaman was not considered as he is yet to regain “form and match fitness”.

The fast bowler’s participation in the white-ball series is part of a strategic workload management plan ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy.

Test cricket sees the return of Mohammad Abbas, who has not played for Pakistan since August 2021.

Abbas, a seasoned fast bowler, was instrumental in Pakistan’s domestic Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he claimed 31 wickets in just five matches. The 33-year-old has taken 90 wickets in 25 Tests. Naseem Shah also makes his return to the Test squad after missing the England series.

Khurram Shahzad, who impressed in the Pakistan Shaheens’ series against Sri Lanka ‘A’, has been included in the Test squad, as has Mir Hamza, currently playing for Peshawar in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

Despite his standout performance in the England series, off-spinner Sajid Khan misses out on selection. The selectors, considering the pace-friendly conditions in South Africa, have opted to go with just one specialist spinner, Noman Ali, who claimed 20 wickets during the England series.

In ODIs, left-arm wrist-spinner Sufyan Moqim earns his maiden call-up after his impressive performance in the T20I series against Zimbabwe. Moqim has taken eight wickets in just two T20Is, including a stunning five-wicket haul for three runs in the second match.

Aqib Javed, interim white-ball head coach, explained the selection process, stating: “We have adopted a horses-for-courses policy to ensure all three squads are well-balanced and capable of performing strongly in South Africa.”

Commenting on the exclusion of Sajid Khan, Javed said: “Leaving out Sajid Khan, despite his stellar performances against England, was an extremely tough and difficult decision. However, considering the pace-friendly conditions at Centurion and in Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas instead, who is an outstanding exponent of seam bowling.”

Javed also confirmed that Shaheen Shah Afridi’s absence from the Test squad was a tactical move. “Shaheen Shah Afridi’s exclusion from the Test squad is a strategic decision to ensure he remains physically and mentally fresh for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.”

The first T20I of the series will be played in Durban on December 10, followed by the second and third T20Is in Centurion and Johannesburg. The ODI series will begin in Paarl on December 17, with the second ODI scheduled for Cape Town on December 19 and the third ODI in Johannesburg on December 22. The Test matches will be held at Centurion and Cape Town on December 26-30 and January 3-7, respectively.

Aqib Javed added, “Our aim is to maintain consistency in ODI selections as part of our ICC Champions Trophy 2025 preparations, while also giving emerging talent opportunities in T20Is alongside experienced players. For Tests, we have focused on assembling a squad that can adapt to challenging conditions and consistently compete at the highest level.” — (Express Tribune)