No place for Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi as PCB announces ODI and T20I squad for Zimbabwe tour

Pakistan team Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi who were rested from the last two Tests against England have returned for limited-overs series against Australia. However, they are not a part of the tour of Zimbabwe.

Arun Rawal

• Sun • 27 Oct 2024

Pakistan's players, (L-R) Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, walk back to their fielding positions during the ICC men's Twenty20 World Cup 2022

Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan

Highlights:

Mohammad Rizwan has been rested from the T20I series against Zimbabwe.

PCB named a second-string squad for Zimbabwe limited-overs tour.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on October 27 announced the ODI and T20I squads for Zimbabwe and Australia tour. PCB will name the new ODI and T20I captain later in the day. Former captain Babar Azam and pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have been rested for the Zimbabwe tour.

PCB has picked a second-string squad for the limited overs series against Zimbabwe. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan will not be part of the T20I series.

"This approach follows the selectors’ rotation policy and provides opportunities to domestic performers, aligning with the team’s strategy for the ICC Champions Trophy and beyond," PCB said in a statement.

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Pakistan ODI squad for Zimbabwe tour –

Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir

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Pakistan T20I squad for Zimbabwe tour –

Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan

Pakistan’s schedule for Zimbabwe tour

24 November – 1st ODI, Bulawayo
26 November – 2nd ODI, Bulawayo
28 November – 3rd ODI, Bulawayo
1 December – 1st T20I, Bulawayo
3 December – 2nd T20I, Bulawayo
5 December – 3rd T20I, Bulawayo

Pakistan vs Zimbabwe head-to-head

So far Pakistan have played 64 ODIs against Zimbabwe. They have won 54, lost four whereas two games ended in a tie. Two of the games could not produce a result. In T20Is, the two teams have locked horns 18 times. The 2009 T20 World Cup Champions Pakistan have lost to Zimbabwe only twice in the shortest format of the game.

Babar's record against Zimbabwe

Babar has a stellar record against Zimbabwe scoring 459 runs from nine ODIs. He averages 114.75 against Zimbabwe. He has two centuries and as many fifties against Zimbabwe in the format. In the T20I format, he has 232 runs from six innings at an average of 38.66 including three fifties. His strike rate of 124.06 is not impressive considering the fast-paced format.