The Pakistan Cricket Board has ended months of speculation by recalling former captain Babar Azam to the T20I squad for the upcoming home series against South Africa, marking his return to the shortest format after nearly a year on the sidelines. The announcement on October 23, 2025, reveals comprehensive squad changes as Pakistan prepares for a packed home schedule featuring multiple series across formats.
Babar Azam’s Long-Awaited T20I Return
The National Selection Committee has decided to recall former captain Babar Azam to the T20I team, who has not been part of the squad since December 2024. Babar and Naseem Shah sat out recent T20I fixtures against the West Indies and this year’s Asia Cup but return to the fold just months before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in early 2026.
Many had attributed Babar’s absence to Pakistan’s poor showing at the 2025 Asia Cup, where the team lost three times to archrival India, including in the final at Dubai. Babar now has a chance to earn his place back permanently ahead of the T20 World Cup, with the selection signaling a renewed focus on stability and experience.
Multiple Comebacks and Fresh Faces
Babar Azam isn’t the only name making a comeback to the Pakistan squads. Abdul Samad and Naseem Shah have also been recalled after being left out of recent series, while rising spinner Usman Tariq has received his maiden call-up, making him the only uncapped player in the T20I squad.
Naseem Shah, who has 25 wickets in 30 T20Is, hasn’t played the format since November 2024 on the Australia tour when he conceded 44 runs without taking a wicket at Sydney. His recall represents another opportunity to prove his T20I credentials after a challenging period.
Mohammad Rizwan Remains Absent from T20I Setup
Notably, Mohammad Rizwan still remains missing from the T20I setup despite being retained in the ODI squad as wicketkeeper. Rizwan’s continued T20I exclusion confirms that his removal alongside Babar after the December 2024 series represents a longer-term strategic decision rather than temporary rest.
Pakistan’s batting struggles during the Asia Cup, where they managed only modest totals despite reaching the final, have prompted selectors to recall Babar despite previously suggesting he needed to improve his strike rate for T20I consideration.
Significant Selection Changes and Omissions
Most notably, Mohammad Haris has paid the price for poor batting form, with Usman Khan recruited into the T20I team as wicketkeeper. This change addresses Pakistan’s ongoing search for a reliable wicketkeeper-batter who can contribute meaningfully in the middle order.
Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, and Sufiyan Muqeem have been relegated to the reserves list for T20Is despite their previous involvement. Fakhar’s demotion is particularly noteworthy given he made a comeback for the Asia Cup and finished as Pakistan’s second-highest run-scorer behind Sahibzada Farhan.
ODI Squad Sees Strategic Returns
Meanwhile, the ODI squad features the comebacks of Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, and wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah. Shaheen Afridi will lead Pakistan’s ODI team for the first time after briefly serving as T20I captain last year during a solitary series against New Zealand where Pakistan lost 4-1.
The ODI squad has four changes from Pakistan’s latest outing against West Indies, with Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Haris, Hasan Ali, and Sufiyan Muqeem not retained from the team that lost 2-1 in the Caribbean earlier this year.
Complete Squad Listings
Pakistan T20I Squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
Pakistan ODI Squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Comprehensive Home Schedule
The action begins with a three-match T20I series against South Africa, starting on October 28 in Rawalpindi, followed by two matches in Lahore on October 31 and November 1. Pakistan will look to build on their Test series draw against South Africa by establishing dominance in white-ball formats.
The focus then shifts to ODIs, as Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium hosts three games against South Africa from November 4 to 8 under Shaheen Afridi’s leadership. This represents Shaheen’s first assignment as ODI captain, adding significance to the series.
After South Africa departs, Sri Lanka visits for another three-match ODI series in Rawalpindi, running from November 11 to 15. The home season wraps up with a T20I tri-series involving Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, scheduled between November 17 and 29 across Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Strategic Considerations and T20 World Cup Context
Pakistan’s batting frailties at the Asia Cup 2025 played a major role in the latest selection decisions. The team’s inability to post competitive totals or successfully chase modest targets exposed middle-order weaknesses that Babar’s return aims to address.
With the T20 World Cup fast approaching in early 2026, selectors have opted for stability and experience by recalling the prolific batter to strengthen the batting order. Babar remains Pakistan’s only batter with over 4,000 runs in T20Is 4,223 runs in 128 matches second only to India’s Rohit Sharma, who retired from T20I cricket after scoring 4,231 runs.
Salman Ali Agha Retains T20I Captaincy
Salman Ali Agha has retained his position as T20I captain despite Pakistan’s disappointing Asia Cup campaign. His continued leadership suggests the PCB views recent struggles as team-wide failures rather than individual captaincy deficiencies.
Agha will lead Pakistan in both the South Africa T20I series and the subsequent tri-series, providing opportunity to establish his leadership credentials and tactical approach before the T20 World Cup.
Shaheen Afridi’s ODI Captaincy Debut
Shaheen Afridi’s appointment as ODI captain represents a fresh start for Pakistan’s 50-over format after Mohammad Rizwan’s unsuccessful tenure. The fast bowler previously captained Pakistan in T20Is briefly in 2024 before being replaced, making this ODI leadership opportunity a chance for redemption.
Key Battles and Player Spotlight
Babar Azam’s return creates interesting dynamics within the squad. His previous captaincy removal and subsequent exclusion from T20Is had sparked considerable debate about Pakistan’s selection philosophy. His recall suggests pragmatism has prevailed over ideological commitment to youth-focused selections.
The upcoming series will test whether Babar can adapt his game to meet modern T20I strike rate expectations while maintaining the consistency and class that made him Pakistan’s premier batter across formats.
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Looking Ahead
The PCB will be hoping its bold calls to make changes in both T20I and ODI squads pays off ahead of important fixtures in 2026. The upcoming series provide crucial preparation opportunities for the T20 World Cup while also serving as World Cup qualification fixtures for the 50-over format.
For Babar Azam specifically, these matches represent opportunity to silence critics who questioned his T20I credentials and cement his place in Pakistan’s World Cup squad. His performance over the coming weeks will significantly influence selection discussions for major tournaments.
Pakistan’s packed home schedule offers the team chance to build momentum, test combinations, and develop winning habits before traveling for challenging overseas assignments. Success across these series could transform Pakistan’s white-ball fortunes after a difficult 2025 that included multiple tournament disappointments.
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