SA vs Pak Test series – Babar Azam and Naseem Shah back – Shaheen Afridi left out

Shaheen Shah Afridi has been left out of Pakistan’s squad for the two-Test series in South Africa in December and January. Afridi, who was released from Pakistan’s Test side after their defeat in the first Test against England in October, remains part of the white-ball squad for the tour. Babar Azam and Naseem Shah, who were released along with Afridi after the first Test, return to the Test squad.

However, Afridi’s absence specifically from Tests seems to signal a point in his career where the red-ball format has become less of a priority than it has before, a condition that may even become permanent for him. When he was dropped in October, the belief was that the more pace-friendly surfaces in South Africa, where he played his second and third Test matches five years earlier, would suit him better as he tries to return to form in the format.

Since returning from a knee injury sustained during a Test in Sri Lanka in July 2022, Afridi has played only a handful of Tests and been ineffective while doing so; in six matches he has 17 wickets at an average of 45.47. His omission from those Tests makes it highly unlikely that he will win back his place for Pakistan’s home Test series against the West Indies in January, after which Pakistan will have no Test matches at all until October 2025.

There is also a return for seamer Mohammad Abbas, who last played Test cricket for Pakistan in 2021. Abbas, whose metronomic accuracy and ability to seam the ball initially saw him break into Pakistan’s side when they played their home Test in the UAE, is only fast bowler in the squad that also featured for Pakistan’s last Test tour to South Africa in 2018-19.

Sajid Khan, meanwhile, has been left out of the traveling party. Along with Noman Ali, Sajid was instrumental in turning the series against England as Pakistan rejected their pitches to suit the spinners and took 19 wickets across the two Tests. But surfaces in South Africa will be very different from them and Pakistan travel with just one spinner and have opted for Noman’s left-arm orthodox spin instead.

This means that Abrar Ahmed, who at the start of this season is regarded as Pakistan’s premier Test spinner, has also been left out.

Khurram Shahzad returns to the Test squad for the first time since a recurring rib injury sidelined him following Pakistan’s home Test against Bangladesh in August. He was initially thought to be out for a few days, but it turned out to be a much longer absence as he missed England’s entire Test series. Since returning in late October, however, he has been in scintillating form, taking 13 wickets in two Quaid-e-Azam trophy matches and another 15 in three innings against the Sri Lanka A team.

That leaves Pakistan’s squad somewhat lacking in pace, a quality more valuable in South Africa than perhaps anywhere else. Naseem is Pakistan’s only real fast bowler in the series, with Aamer Jamal, Shahzad, Abbas and Mir Hamza the others in the squad. This is likely to be in stark contrast to South Africa’s Test team, which currently possesses a battery of fast bowlers capable of pushing into the high 140s and even beyond.

There is much less flux in Pakistan’s white-ball squad, with Pakistan choosing to stick largely to the team that played the ODI and T20I series in Australia. Sufiyan Muqeem’s bright start in Zimbabwe has seen him rewarded as he retains his place for both white-ball squads against South Africa, while Omair Yousuf is part of the T20I squad.

Pakistan will play three T20Is and three ODIs in South Africa between December 10 and 22 and two Test matches in Centurion and Cape Town beginning on December 26 and January 7. South Africa are statistically Pakistan’s least happy hunting ground in Test cricket, winning only two Test matches and never a Test series.

Pakistan squad for South Africa tour

Tests: Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali , Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyy , Usman Khan (week)
T20Is: Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk)

Pakistan squad for South Africa tour

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