- Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq says consistency, recent player performances and looking ahead to the future have been the main criterion
- Inzamam says Abbas has been rested, feels Junaid needs to work harder on his bowling after regaining fitness
- Inzamam’s video interview is attached here for free download and editorial use
Lahore, 9 January: The chairman of the Pakistan men’s cricket selection committee, Inzamam-ul-Haq, today announced the 16-member squad for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa, which will start in Port Elizabeth on 19 January.
The side will be led by Sarfaraz Ahmed and includes three openers (Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood), four middle-order batsmen (Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Hussain Talat), two all-rounders (Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf), one spinner (Shadab Khan), four fast bowlers (Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi and Usman Shinwari) and Mohammad Rizwan as the second wicketkeeper/batsman.
There are five changes from the Test side, which is presently in Johannesburg preparing for the third and final Test. Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas and Yasir Shah have been replaced by Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Hussain Talat, Usman Shinwari and Imad Wasim, respectively.
There are three changes from the 15-man ODI side, which drew with New Zealand in the UAE after the final ODI was washed out. Asif Ali, Haris Sohail and Junaid Khan have been replaced by Mohammad Amir, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood.