Pakistan have announced their squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia, and Mohammad Rizwan has been dropped from the team, while veteran batter Babar Azam returns to the 50-over setup.
Pakistan will host Australia for a three-match ODI series that begins on the 30th of May, a day before the IPL 2026 ends. Three ODI games would mark the return of Pakistan players like Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, the two pacers who were not part of the ODIs before this.
Several players have been drafted into the Indian team, while the likes of Arafat Minhas, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori have been drafted into the Pakistan ODI squad.
Mohammad Rizwan ruled out; Babar Azam returns to Pakistan's ODI squad
Rizwan has been snubbed from the Pakistan cricket team after he struggled with the bat. While Babar has returned following a promising run in the Pakistan Super League, where the batter top-scored with 500+ runs and led his team to a promising victory in the season.
Other than Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, the all-rounder, has also returned to the white-ball setup this time in the 50-over format after having last played for them in the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan Squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Salman Ali Agha, 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.
Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman are still undergoing rehabilitation
Fakhar Zaman, the left-handed veteran batter, and Saim Ayub, another dynamic rising talent in Pakistan cricket, have emerged as injury absentees in the side. These two players were part of the PSL and, after a full season, are currently under rehabilitation from respective injuries.
Fakhar was ruled out despite a promising run in the PSL, where he was the third-highest run scorer with 400+ runs, and on the other hand, Saim Ayub, the left-handed batter, also played a crucial role in Hyderabad Kingsmen reaching the finals.
Ayub had contributed slightly with the bat; however, his bowling makes him a handy star as he emerged as a major wicket-getter despite being a part-time spinner. Maaz Sadaqat might emerge as a possible opener for Pakistan.
Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir picked as wicket-keepers; Usman Khan sidelined
Ahead of their upcoming ODI series, Rohail Nazir has returned to the ODI setup as a wicketkeeper-batter, while Ghori has been called up for the 50-over format. Ahmed Daniyal has also returned to the ODI lineup.
Ghori has emerged as a major switch in wicket-keeping for Pakistan, as he was also picked to feature in the Test series against Bangladesh. Usman Khan, the seasoned campaigner, has not been included due to illness.
He, however, had a major role to play with the bat in the PSL, as he emerged as Hyderabad Kingsmen's highest run-getter. He had amassed 389 runs across 13 matches while averaging over 35.36 in the game.
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