Pakistan Announce 18-Member Squad for South Africa Test Series

Zahid Hashmi

Lahore: Pakistan’s national selection committee on Tuesday announced an 18-member squad for the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27. The squad will be trimmed before the opening Test begins on 12 October in Lahore.

Shan Masood will continue to captain the side. Alongside him, Pakistan have named senior players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha, while three uncapped players — Asif Afridi, Faisal Akram and Rohail Nazir — have also been drafted in. Other members of the squad include Abrar Ahmed, Aamir Jamal, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan.

South Africa, the reigning champions of the ICC World Test Championship (2023–25), will play the first Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore from 12 to 16 October, followed by the second Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 20 to 24 October.

The red-ball series will be followed by three T20 internationals and three ODIs between 28 October and 8 November. Pakistan’s squad for the white-ball matches will be announced later.

Training Camp

Players will gather for a pre-series training camp under red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood and National Cricket Academy (NCA) coaches from later today until 8 October. Cricketers who recently featured in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup will join the camp on 4 October.

South Africa Tour Schedule

• 12–16 October – First Test, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 20–24 October – Second Test, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
• 28 October – 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
• 31 October – 2nd T20I, Lahore
• 1 November – 3rd T20I, Lahore
• 4 November – 1st ODI, Faisalabad
• 6 November – 2nd ODI, Faisalabad
• 8 November – 3rd ODI, Faisalabad