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Pakistan on Friday named three uncapped players in a squad of 16 for the three-match One-Day International (ODI) home series against Australia starting late next week.
Wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir, fast bowler Ahmed Daniyal and all-rounder Arafat Minhas have played handful of T20 internationals but have been selected for the 50-over format for the first time. Nazir and Ghazi Ghori are the two wicketkeepers in the side.
The selectors have recalled experienced players Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan, who were not part of the team that lost the last ODI series in Bangladesh 2-1 in March.
Azam missed the away series in Bangladesh with a fitness issue in March, but scored 588 runs in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this month to stage a comeback.
Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to captain the side, with Salman Ali Agha named vice-captain.
The squad sees the return of Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan — also missing from the Bangladesh tour.
Left-arm spinner Sufyan Moqim stages a comeback in the ODI squad after finishing as the highest wicket taker in the PSL 2026 with 22.
Fast bowler Ahmed Daniyal, spinning allrounder Arafat Minhas and wicketkeeper batter Rohail Nazir are selected in the ODI squad for the first time.
FAKHAR, SAIM WILL MISS THE SERIES
Experienced openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub will miss the series with injuries, while senior wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan is dropped.
The Australian team will arrive in Islamabad on May 23 and play the matches in Rawalpindi (May 30) and Lahore (June 2 and 4).
The series will give both teams a chance to build towards the 2027 ODI World Cup to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Pakistan’s Test team returned home after suffering a shock 2-0 defeat in Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Here are some details:
* Pakistan pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the side for the series scheduled in Rawalpindi and Lahore from May 30 to June 4.
* Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah and Sufyan Moqim return to the ODI setup, after missing the ODI series against Bangladesh in March.
* Mohammad Rizwan was left out, with Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir named as wicketkeeper-batters.
* Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas and Rohail Nazir, all uncapped in ODIs, were also included in the squad.
* The first ODI is scheduled for May 30 in Rawalpindi and the remaining matches will be played in Lahore on June 2 and June 4.
* 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, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain and Sufyan Moqim.
Reuters /AFP
