Pakistan Announces 18-Member Test Squad for South Africa Series

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced an 18-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa under the ICC World Test Championship.

Pakistan Squad Announcement

Shan Masood will lead the national side in this highly anticipated series. The squad also features three new players who have earned their first call-up to the Test team: Asif Afridi, Faisal Akram, and Rohail Nazir. Their selection reflects PCB’s efforts to strengthen the bench and provide opportunities to young talent.

Along with them, the squad includes several experienced players and regular performers:

• Aamir Jamal
• Abdullah Shafique
• Abrar Ahmed
• Babar Azam
• Hasan Ali
• Imam-ul-Haq
• Kamran Ghulam
• Khurram Shahzad
• Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper)
• Nauman Ali
• Sajid Khan
• Salman Ali Agha
• Saud Shakeel
• Shaheen Afridi

Test Series Schedule

The reigning 2023–2025 ICC World Test Championship winners, South Africa, will be touring Pakistan for the first time in this cycle. The two-match Test series is scheduled as follows:

• 1st Test: October 12 to October 16 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 2nd Test: October 20 to October 24 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

Both matches will play a key role in shaping Pakistan’s standing in the current World Test Championship table.

Limited-Overs Matches

Following the Test series, Pakistan and South Africa will also play a white-ball leg of the tour, which includes:

• 3 T20 Internationals (T20Is)
• 3 One-Day Internationals (ODIs)

These matches will be played between October 28 and November 8, 2025. The official announcement of the white-ball squad will be made at a later date.

Training Camp Before the Series

To prepare for the series, a training camp has started from today under the supervision of Head Coach Azhar Mahmood along with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) coaches. The camp will continue until October 8.

Players who recently took part in the Asia Cup 2025 will join the camp on October 4 after a short break. This camp aims to fine-tune the team’s strategies, improve fitness levels, and give the newcomers a chance to settle into the squad environment.

What’s at Stake?

The series is of great importance for both teams, as points from these Tests will directly affect the World Test Championship standings. For Pakistan, playing at home will be a huge advantage, but facing the strong and in-form South African side will be a real test of their skills, consistency, and mental strength.

READ MORE: Salman Ali Agha: Current Pakistan Squad Strong Enough Without Babar Azam, Rizwan