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LAHORE: Experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan has been left out of the ODI squad for the upcoming three-match home series against Australia, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday.
The 16-member squad will continue to be led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, while several senior players, including Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Muqeem, have returned after missing the away ODI series against Bangladesh earlier this year.
Pakistan have also handed opportunities to uncapped players Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas and wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir, all of whom were previously part of ODI squads but are yet to make their international debuts in the format.
Young wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori retained his place in the squad after making his ODI debut during the Bangladesh series and will serve as one of the two specialist wicketkeepers alongside Rohail.
Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Usman Khan, who was under consideration for selection, missed out after illness ruled him out of contention.
Pakistan will also be without the injured opening pair, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub, both of whom continue rehabilitation under the supervision of the PCB medical panel.
The squad is scheduled to assemble in Islamabad later tonight and begin training sessions from May 23, under the coaching staff led by head coach Mike Hesson.
Australia are set to arrive in Islamabad on May 23 ahead of the ODI series, which will begin at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 30. The remaining two matches will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium on June 2 and June 4.
The series will mark Australia’s first ODI tour of Pakistan since 2022, when the hosts secured a 2-1 series victory. Earlier this year, Pakistan also completed a 3-0 clean sweep over Australia in a T20I series in Lahore.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain and Sufiyan Muqeem.
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