Babar Azam Joins ODI Squad as Pakistan Gears Up for Caribbean Challenge

Pakistan’s One Day International (ODI) squad is all set to fly out from Karachi to the United States on Thursday. This departure is part of their upcoming white-ball tour, which includes matches in both the USA and the West Indies.

Some key players making the trip include Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Abdullah Shafique, and Mohammad Rizwan. These stars are expected to play an important role during the ODI leg of the tour.

This series also marks the return of Babar Azam to ODI cricket. The former captain last played a 50-over match for Pakistan against New Zealand back in April 2024. Fans will be eager to see him back in action in this format, especially after a short break from ODIs.

However, Babar Azam is not part of the T20I squad for this tour. His last appearance in a T20 International came in December 2024 against South Africa. Since then, he has not featured in the shortest format of the game. Similarly, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan also played his last T20I in the same series.

While the ODI squad prepares for their journey, Pakistan’s T20I team is already in the United States and has started its training. The team had a high-intensity training session at the Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.

This training session lasted for three hours and included various drills designed to improve overall performance. The players began with warm-up exercises and fitness routines to improve their physical conditioning. After that, the session focused on fielding practice, batting in the nets, and bowling skills.

The purpose of this training was to get the team match-ready ahead of the T20I series against the West Indies. The coaching staff supervised the training closely, ensuring each player worked on their specific role.

Pakistan’s T20I side will take on the West Indies in the first of three T20 matches on July 31 at the same venue in Lauderhill. Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the captain for the T20I series. This leadership role gives him a big opportunity to prove his skills both as a player and a leader.

After the T20I series ends in the USA, the team will move on to the Caribbean. The ODI series against the West Indies will begin on August 8 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.

For the ODI leg, Mohammad Rizwan will take over as captain. He will be leading the team in three 50-over matches scheduled between August 8 and August 12. Rizwan’s leadership will be important as Pakistan looks to build a strong unit ahead of future international tournaments.

Before this tour, the Men in Green played a T20I series against Bangladesh. Unfortunately, they lost that series 2-1, which was a disappointment for both the players and fans.

That series was also the second assignment for Pakistan’s white-ball head coach, Mike Hesson. He started his role earlier this year with a clean 3-0 series win against Bangladesh at home in May. Despite the recent loss, Hesson remains focused on improving team performance and building a balanced squad.

Full Squad Details

Pakistan T20I Squad:
Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (Wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim

Pakistan ODI Squad:
Mohammad Rizwan (Captain), Salman Ali Agha (Vice-Captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim

Complete Match Schedule

T20I Series (USA):

• July 31 – 1st T20I vs West Indies – Central Broward Park, Lauderhill
• August 2 – 2nd T20I vs West Indies – Central Broward Park, Lauderhill
• August 3 – 3rd T20I vs West Indies – Central Broward Park, Lauderhill

ODI Series (West Indies):

• August 8 – 1st ODI vs West Indies – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago
• August 10 – 2nd ODI vs West Indies – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago
• August 12 – 3rd ODI vs West Indies – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad & Tobago

This tour is an important one for Pakistan’s white-ball teams, offering both fresh challenges and chances for key players to shine. Fans back home will be watching closely as the Men in Green take on the West Indies in both formats.

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