Explained: Why Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman Are Missing Pakistan’s ODI Series Against Australia
Pakistan will be without Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman for their three-match ODI series against Australia, with Rawalpindi set to host the opener and Lahore to stage the remaining two games. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced the squad on May 22, and the headline decision was Babar Azam’s return alongside Rizwan’s omission.
Rizwan’s exclusion comes after a run of modest form in white-ball cricket. In Pakistan’s previous ODI series against Bangladesh in March, he scored only 58 runs across three matches. His domestic returns have also been below his usual standards. In the Pakistan Super League, he made 204 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 116.57 without a single fifty-plus score, while his team managed only one win in its debut season. His first campaign in the Big Bash League was also disappointing. Taken together, those results appear to have cost him his place in the ODI side.
Pakistan will also be missing Usman Khan, who is unavailable because of illness. In response, the selectors have added Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir as wicketkeeping options. Rohail Nazir remains uncapped in ODI cricket, although he has already represented Pakistan in three T20 internationals.
The opening pair is expected to look different as well. Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub are both sidelined with injuries and are continuing their rehabilitation under the supervision of the PCB medical panel. The board confirmed that both players have been ruled out of the series. Their most recent ODI appearances came during Sri Lanka’s tour of Pakistan in November 2025.
With both senior openers unavailable, Pakistan are likely to turn to Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat to begin the innings against Australia. Both players made their ODI debuts against Bangladesh earlier in the year and could be given a bigger role in the series.
The squad retains a strong core around Babar Azam and vice-captain Salman Ali Agha, while Shadab Khan is part of the all-rounder group and Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the bowling attack as captain. The pace unit also includes Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, giving Pakistan experienced options against Australia’s batting lineup. Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Moqim provide spin alternatives, while Abdul Samad, Shamyl Hussain and Arafat Minhas add depth in the batting and all-round departments.
Pakistan’s revised squad reflects both form-based selection decisions and injury setbacks, forcing the management to reshuffle key positions before the Australia series begins. The series will now offer an early test of Pakistan’s bench strength, particularly at the top of the order and behind the stumps, as they look to build momentum against a strong Australian side.
