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KARACHI: Pakistan on Thursday named a 15-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa and a tri-nation tournament with Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, recalling star batter Babar Azam and fast bowler Naseem Shah after their absence from recent white-ball fixtures.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also announced a 16-member squad for the one-day internationals against South Africa and Sri Lanka next month. The two-matchups form part of Pakistan’s preparations ahead of next year’s ICC Champions Trophy, which the country is set to host.

“Abdul Samad, Babar Azam and Naseem Shah make a comeback to the side after missing out on previous events,” the PCB said in a statement. “Usman Tariq is the only uncapped player in the T20I squad.”

The three-match T20I series against South Africa will run from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1 in Rawalpindi and Lahore, followed by ODIs in Faisalabad from Nov. 4 to 8.

Pakistan will then host Sri Lanka for three ODIs in Rawalpindi from Nov. 11 to 15, before staging a T20I tri-series featuring Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe from Nov. 17 to 29.

In the ODI squad, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf and Haseebullah return to the side, while Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the 50-over team and Salman Ali Agha will captain the T20 outfit.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday praised Syria for holding its first parliamentary elections since the end of Bashar Assad’s rule in December, calling it a “significant step” in the political transition while condemning Israel’s continued military presence in the war-torn Middle Eastern country.

Syria held indirect voting on 140 parliamentary seats earlier this month. The elections, taking place under transitional governance, was viewed as vital to the political reconfiguration of the country, though voting in Kurdish-controlled and restive regions such as Suwayda faced delays and logistical challenges.

“We welcome the holding of parliamentary elections for the People’s Assembly of Syria on 5 October 2025 to elect 140 members, marking a significant step in the country’s political transition,” Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, said during a UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian and political situation in Syria.

“This reflects a move toward greater political engagement and the rebuilding of state institutions,” he added. “We also hope that regions which experienced delays due to security concerns will soon be able to hold elections, ensuring inclusive participation across the country.”

Jadoon also highlighted a recent agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the central government to integrate SDF units into Syria’s national army, describing it as a “positive and necessary contribution” to national cohesion and the restoration of unified state institutions.

The SDF, a Kurdish-led alliance, had maintained an uneasy truce with Damascus during the war, administering autonomous areas in the country’s northeast.

He urged the international community to ease sanctions on Syria to enable economic recovery, reconstruction, and reintegration, welcoming the United States and European Union’s decisions to lift multiple restrictive measures, as well as reconstruction efforts by Türkiye, Qatar and ����ֱ��.

Condemning Israel’s “repeated and egregious” violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, Jadoon said Israeli forces were maintaining positions on the Syrian side of the ceasefire line.

The accord, brokered after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, established a UN-monitored buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights.

“Such actions are seriously undermining ongoing efforts to preserve Syria’s unity and stability,” Jadoon said, adding that any new security arrangements must have the consent of the concerned parties.