Pakistan recall dropped Babar Azam for T20Is

Rawalpindi: Babar Azam was Thursday recalled to Pakistan's Twenty20 international squad for two home series, nearly a year after the batsman was axed.

Pakistan play a three-match series against South Africa starting in Rawalpindi on October 28 and will also feature in next month's T20I tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Azam last played for Pakistan in T20s against South Africa in December 2024, after which he was dropped because of his poor strike rate.

There is still no place for wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan while opener Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris and fast bowler Haris Rauf are dropped from last month's Asia Cup squad.

Pakistan finished runners-up at the Asia Cup but lost all three matches against arch-rivals India.

Pacer Naseem Shah, batter Abdul Samad and wicketkeeper Usman Khan are called into the 15-man squad, which will be captained by Salman Agha.

After the T20s against South Africa, Pakistan will host them in a three-match ODI series on November 4-8. 

Rizwan, replaced as ODI skipper by Shaheen Shah Afridi this week, is in the one-day squad.

T20I squad: Salman Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq 

ODI squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha