By Shafaat Bibi
LAHORE: Pakistan’s seasoned wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan will continue to lead the national ODI team as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies scheduled from August 8 to 12 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.
The selectors have introduced several changes to the squad that last toured New Zealand earlier this year where Pakistan suffered a 3-0 whitewash in the ODI series.
Returning to the side are Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Saim Ayub and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Notably explosive batter Hasan Nawaz, renowned for his T20 performances, has also earned a call-up.
Players omitted from the previous ODI squad include Akif Javed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Waseem Junior, Irfan Khan, Tayyab Tahir and wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan.
Fakhar Zaman had missed the New Zealand series after sustaining an injury during the Champions Trophy match against New Zealand in Karachi. Hasan Ali makes his comeback after a 20-month absence due to form and fitness issues, his last ODI appearance was against New Zealand on November 4, 2023, in Bengaluru during the World Cup.
All-rounder Hussain Talat has been recalled after six years, having played his only ODI against South Africa in Durban on January 22, 2019. Saim Ayub, who suffered injury during a match against South Africa on December 22, 2024, in Johannesburg, and had also missed Champions Trophy and New Zealand series latter is also in the ODI squad.
Shaheen Afridi returns after sitting out the New Zealand ODIs, despite being part of the T20 leg of that tour. Mohammad Haris replaces Usman Khan as the reserve wicketkeeper, a mandatory requirement in modern ODI squads.
In a separate announcement the PCB revealed its T20 squad for the series against West Indies in the United States. The pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, and Haris Rauf returns while young pacers Ahmed Daniyal, Salman Mirza and Abbas Afridi have been dropped.
Following their recent 2-1 T20I series loss to Bangladesh in Dhaka, Pakistan will now head to the US for a three-match T20I series against the West Indies under the captaincy of Salman Ali Agha. All matches will be played at Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.
T20I Squad:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Muqim
ODI Squad:
Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Muqeem
Officials: Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Hanif Malik (batting Coach), Shane McDermott (fielding Coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Irtaza Komail (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur);
Schedule:
1 July – First T20I v West Indies, Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, USA
2 Aug – Second T20I v West Indies, Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, USA
3 Aug – Third T20I v West Indies, Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, USA
8 Aug – First ODI v West Indies, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago
10 Aug – Second ODI v West Indies, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago
12 Aug – Third ODI v West Indies, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago
