Agha and Usman get test recall for Pakistan’s two matches against Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has recalled batter Salman Ali Agha and left-arm spinner Ali Usman for its two home test matches against Sri Lanka in November.

Agha and Usman were among seven cricketers flown back home during a chaotic tour of England after Pakistan lost the second test at Lord’s in August. England swept the series 3-0.

Agha has been scoring prolifically since his return to Pakistan and followed his triple century in a domestic first-class match with a century against Sri Lanka in the ongoing ODI tri-series.

Opening batter Imam-ul-Haq and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who were also recalled midway through the England tour, won’t play in the two tests against Sri Lanka.

The games will be held at Rawalpindi from Nov. 9 and at Lahore from Nov. 17, and are part of the World Test Championship cycle.

Babar Azam will continue as skipper.

The 14-member squad includes three uncapped players — Mohammad Taha, Sameer Minhas and Mohammad Suleman — following their impressive batting in the recent President’s Trophy Grade I domestic tournament.

The 26-year-old Taha leads the batting charts with 730 runs across seven games, including three centuries. Suleman also scored three centuries in the same tournament and has made 625 runs while Minhas scored 405 runs in his maiden first-class season.

Pakistan is at the bottom of the nine-team World Test Championship with just two wins and seven defeats.

Pakistan is also scheduled to host New Zealand at home early next year for two test matches to wrap up its disappointing WTC cycle.

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Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saud Shakeel.

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