Pakistan has named a fresh-looking 18-man squad for the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa, blending the return of established stars with a crop of potential debutants.

Shaheen Shah Afridi, who sat out recent tours due to injury management, is back to lead the pace attack. His new-ball partner Naseem Shah, however, has been left out in what selectors described as a tactical call. The batting core has also been reinforced, with Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan rejoining after missing the last assignment against the West Indies.

There were a number of new faces in the side too. Left-arm spinner Asif Afridi, young seamer Faisal Akram, and wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir have all earned maiden call-ups and could feature should the selectors opt for a final XI shake-up. Shan Masood, who has been in consistent form at the top of the order, retains the captaincy.

The Tests are scheduled for Lahore from 12 to 16 October and Rawalpindi from 20 to 24 October. Chief selector Wahab Riaz said the provisional squad would be cut down before the first match but stressed the importance of “building depth while remaining competitive against a top side.”

The visit by South Africa will be a key early-season test for Pakistan and the series promises a stern but timely gauge of Pakistan’s World Test Championship ambitions.

Meanwhile South Africa will be led by Aiden Markram, after Temba Bavuma was withdrawn due to injury. The South African squad includes three spinners – Prenelan Subrayen, Senuran Muthusamy, and Simon Harmer – an indication of the kinds of wickets the Proteas are expecting in Pakistan.