Pakistan’s white-ball campaign in the Caribbean just received a major boost, as former skipper Babar Azam and current ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan officially joined the national squad in Florida ahead of the three-match One Day International (ODI) series against West Indies.
Both stars last featured in ODIs during Pakistan’s home series against New Zealand in April 2025. Since then, their absence from white-ball cricket — including the recent T20I outings — had raised eyebrows and spurred speculation around Pakistan’s evolving cricketing strategy under new head coach Mike Hesson.
Also landing in Lauderhill with them were young opener Abdullah Shafique and pace spearhead Naseem Shah. The quartet will be part of the squad that travels to Trinidad & Tobago for the ODIs, which kick off on August 8.
Rizwan, now entrusted with leading the ODI side, will have a strong core to work with. Alongside Babar, the squad includes experienced names such as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, and Hasan Nawaz — all of whom have been recalled to the white-ball setups in what appears to be a push for stability and experience.
Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies features both T20I and ODI legs. The T20Is, currently underway in Florida, will conclude before the team heads south for the ODI fixtures. The return of Babar and Rizwan, both key figures in Pakistan’s modern cricket era, is being seen as a crucial step in tightening the squad’s cohesion ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy preparations later this year.
While the spotlight is often on their batting, Rizwan’s leadership and Babar’s calm anchoring presence will likely play an equally important role in the Caribbean leg — especially as Pakistan seeks consistency in its white-ball performances abroad.
