Babar Azam among 11 players called up for red-ball camp ahead of South Africa series

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced the start of a red-ball training camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore ahead of upcoming home Test series against South Africa. 

The camp will begin on September 9 and run through September 28, providing players with focused preparation ahead of the high-profile series.

A total of 11 players have been invited to the camp, with all participants expected to report by September 8. 

The camp will be conducted under the supervision of red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood, who will be supported by NCA coaches and staff members.

Those included in the camp squad are Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique, Ali Raza, Azan Awais, and Kamran Ghulam, along with Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Salman, Rohail Nazir, Sajid Khan and Shamil Hussain.

According to PCB, the players selected for the camp are those who are not currently participating in the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, Pakistan’s non first-class domestic red-ball competition. 

Senior players Mohammad Rizwan and Naseem Shah were not available for selection as they are currently featuring in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025.

During the three-week camp, the focus will be on intense skill development and match preparation, with players expected to participate in scenario-based practice games to simulate real match conditions.

Pakistan is scheduled to play its first Test series of the season against South Africa, who are set to tour Pakistan next month for an all-format series. The tour will include two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is.

The first Test will be staged in Lahore from October 12, followed by the second Test in Rawalpindi from October 20.

This series will mark the beginning of Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle.