Pakistan have gone for a mix of experience and promise in a provisional 18-man group for next month’s two-Test series at home to South Africa. Spin-bowling all-rounder Asif Afridi, left-arm wrist-spinner Faisal Akram and wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir are the fresh faces; the list will be pared down before the opening Test in Lahore on 12 October.
Shan Masood stays on as captain. The bulk of the squad – those not returning from the Asia Cup – assemble in Lahore this evening for a red-ball camp that runs to 8 October. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Salman Agha and Abrar Ahmed, all still on Asia Cup duty, are due in by 4 October. Red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood and National Cricket Academy staff will run the sessions.
Fixtures
12-16 Oct: 1st Test, Lahore
20-24 Oct: 2nd Test, Rawalpindi
28 Oct-1 Nov: three T20Is, Rawalpindi & Lahore
4-8 Nov: three ODIs, Faisalabad
Asif Afridi, 38, provides know-how: 198 first-class wickets at 25.49 from 57 outings. At 22, Faisal Akram is almost starting out. Since a debut in December 2023 he has played nine first-class matches, taking 44 wickets at 30.95, and has appeared in three domestic one-dayers. The pair broaden an already spin-heavy attack that includes Sajid Khan, Noman Ali and the in-form Abrar Ahmed.
Rohail Nazir, 23, carries a decent red-ball record – 34.45 across 43 first-class games – and a single T20I cap earned at last year’s Asian Games. He joins Mohammad Rizwan to give the selectors two keeping options.
The fast-bowling group looks familiar: Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali and Aamir Jamal are back together, with Khurram Shahzad as cover. Batting is anchored by Babar Azam, Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq and Saud Shakeel.
The second Test starts in Rawalpindi on 20 October before attention turns to white-ball cricket.
Provisional squad
Shan Masood (capt), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
A tighter list will be announced once the camp finishes.
Plenty to weigh up, then. Pakistan have leaned on spin, banking on home conditions, and blended it with seam experience and a settled top order. The uncapped trio may yet have to wait, but the message is clear: perform at domestic level and the door stays open.
