Shaheen Afridi Named Pakistan Captain for Australia ODI Series

Brief By Newsbrief / 4:42 PM on 23 May 2026

Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the Australia national cricket team. Star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been appointed captain of the side, while Salman Ali Agha will serve as vice-captain.

Several senior players have returned to the ODI squad after missing the recent series against Bangladesh. The returning names include Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Sufiyan Muqeem. However, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has been excluded from the squad.

The squad also features three players who are yet to make their ODI debut — Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, and Rohail Nazir. Although they have already represented Pakistan in T20 internationals, this could be their first appearance in the ODI format.

According to the PCB, Usman Khan was not considered for selection due to illness. As wicketkeeping options, the selectors picked Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir. Meanwhile, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub remain sidelined because of previous injuries and will continue rehabilitation under the supervision of the PCB medical panel.

Australia are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on May 23. The first ODI will be played in Rawalpindi on May 30, while the second and third matches will take place in Lahore on June 2 and June 4 respectively.