Azam, Shaheen back in Pakistan squad for Australia tour in November

Less than a month after resigning as Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Babar Azam is selected for limited overs squad to tour Australia.

Former skipper Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi were named in Pakistan’s squad for the November limited-overs series in Australia after being dropped from the last two Tests against England.

However, selectors said the duo will be rested for the limited-overs matches in the Zimbabwe tour later next month.

A new captain for Pakistan’s white-ball format will be announced later on Sunday to replace Azam, 30, who resigned earlier this month after a second stint in the post.

Pakistan open the Australia tour with three one-day internationals in Melbourne (November 4), Adelaide (November 8) and Perth (November 10).

That will be followed by three Twenty20 internationals in Brisbane (November 14), Sydney (November 16) and Hobart (November 18).

Allrounders Aamer Jamal and Arafat Minhas, spinner Faisal Akram, wicketkeeper batsman Haseebullah and batsmen Irfan Khan and Saim Ayub have been selected for the first time in ODIs.

Likewise, allrounders Jahandad Khan and Salman Agha have been selected for the first time in T20Is.

Azam, appointed white-ball captain for the first time in 2019, stepped down after Pakistan’s disastrous first-round exit from the ODI World Cup in India last year.

However, he was re-appointed for a second time in March 2024 before the T20I World Cup in the United States and West Indies – where Pakistan exited in the first round again, adding pressure on him to resign a second time, which he ultimately did on October 2.

Squads for Australia:

ODI SQUAD: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi

T20I SQUAD: Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan

Squads for Zimbabwe:

ODI: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir

T20I: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan