Lahore: The national selection committee has made waves by unveiling an 18-member squad for the upcoming two-Test series against the reigning ICC World Test Championship victors, South Africa. This critical series, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27, is set to commence on 12 October, with the squad expected to be streamlined before the inaugural match.
Shan Masood retains his captaincy as the leader of the team. Notably, the squad includes three fresh faces: Asif Afridi, Faisal Akram, and Rohail Nazir, who are yet to make their Test debuts. The series opener will take place at Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium from 12 to 16 October, followed by the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 20 to 24 October.
Following the Test matches, a series of three T20Is and three ODIs is scheduled from 28 October to 8 November. Details regarding the squad for these limited-overs formats will be disclosed at a later date.
In preparation for the series, the players will engage in an intensive training camp under the guidance of red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood and NCA coaches. This camp is set to run from today until 8 October. Players who participated in the recent ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup are expected to join the camp on 4 October.
The announced squad for the Test series is as follows: Shan Masood (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicket-keeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
South Africa’s tour itinerary includes the following fixtures:
– 12-16 October: First Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
– 20-24 October: Second Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
– 28 October: First T20I at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
– 31 October: Second T20I at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
– 1 November: Third T20I at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
– 4 November: First ODI at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
– 6 November: Second ODI at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
– 8 November: Third ODI at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
This announcement from the Pakistan Cricket Board sets the stage for an exciting face-off between the hosts and the South African champions.