In what has become a quintessential game of musical chairs, the Pakistan selectors have announced a heavily altered 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match home ODI series against Australia. Commencing on May 30, the series sees the high-profile return of batting mainstay Babar Azam, balanced by the headline-grabbing omission of senior wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan.
The squad announcement comes on the heels of Pakistan’s demoralising 0-2 Test series defeat to Bangladesh. Rizwan, who was one of the few fighting sparks for Pakistan during that red-ball assignment, has paid the price for his recent poor run in the 50-over format.
During the away ODI series against Bangladesh in March, the veteran keeper managed just 58 runs across three matches. However, his swift axing highlights the volatile nature of Pakistan’s selection policy; just last year, Rizwan was one of the most prolific performers in the lineup, amassing 569 runs across 17 ODIs at an impressive average of 43.76, including a century and four fifties.
In contrast, Babar Azam completes his own cycle of the selection carousel. Dropped for the Bangladesh ODIs in March in what widely appeared to be a knee-jerk reaction to his poor form in the T20 World Cup, the former captain has been recalled to reinforce the top order. Like Rizwan’s dropping, Babar’s initial exclusion had raised eyebrows given his stellar 2025 ODI record, where he slammed 544 runs in 17 matches at an extraordinary average of 77.16.
With Rizwan discarded, the selection committee has named Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and the uncapped Rohail Nazir as the two designated wicketkeeper-batters in the squad. The wicketkeeping shuffle was accelerated after Usman Khan was ruled out of consideration due to an ongoing illness.
Left-arm speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi retains the captaincy, leading a squad that welcomes back several frontline stars. Alongside Babar, pace spearhead Naseem Shah, all-rounder Shadab Khan, and spinner Sufyan Moqim have all been recalled after missing the March tour of Bangladesh.
Conversely, injuries continue to plague Pakistan’s structural planning. Explosive opener Fakhar Zaman and young batter Saim Ayub were unavailable for selection as they continue their respective rehabilitation programmes under the supervision of the PCB medical panel. In their absence, uncapped players Ahmed Daniyal and Arafat Minhas have been drafted into the senior setup.
The 16-member squad is scheduled to assemble in Islamabad on Friday, with their preparatory camp kicking off on Saturday, May 23 under head coach Mike Hesson. The visiting Australian contingent is also scheduled to land in Islamabad on May 23, setting the stage for a high-stakes white-ball series across Rawalpindi and Lahore.
ODI SQUAD – PAKISTAN VS AUSTRALIA
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.
SCHEDULE FOR ODI SERIES
30 May – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
2 June – 2nd ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
4 June – 3rd ODI, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
– Ends
