The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced an initial 14-member Test squad for the two-match ICC World Test Championship series against Sri Lanka set to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 9 to 21 November.
A 13-member PCB Patron’s squad has also been announced for the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka from 4-6 November at the Islamabad Club. The selectors will add two pacers from the Patron’s squad to the Test squad following the conclusion of the warm-up match on 6 November.
Babar Azam is set to continue leading the Test side, while Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, wicketkeepers Mohammad Ghazi Ghori and Saad Baig, along with Razaullah and Saud Shakeel have retained their place in the Test squad.
Left-arm spinner Ali Usman and batter Salman Ali Agha are also part of the Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka. Furthermore, a trio of batters including left-handed Mohammad Taha, right-handed Sameer Minhas and Mohammad Suleman have received maiden call-ups to the Pakistan Test squad.
26-old left-handed batter Taha is the leading run-scorer in the President’s Trophy Grade-I first-class, which began in September, with 730 runs across seven matches with the help of three centuries and a best of 225. In the same tournament Mohammad Suleman sits at no.5 position on the batting charts with 652 runs with the help of three centuries as well.
Sameer, playing his maiden first-class season, impressed with 405 runs in seven matches, following a highly promising stint with Pakistan U19s.
PCB Patron’s squad for three-day warm up match:
Wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig is set to lead the PCB Patron’s XI in the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka’s Test squad. From the Test squad, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha and Sameer Minhas will also be in action in the three-day match.
The pace attack for the Patron’s XI consists of Mohammad Salman, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr, Ali Shabbir, Saqib Khan and Ubaid Shah. Batter Mohammad Tayyab Arif will also be part of the squad.
Pakistan Test squad:
Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saud Shakeel
Patron’s XI squad for three-day warm-up v Sri Lanka (4-6 November at Islamabad Club):
Saad Baig (captain, wk), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Shabbir, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha, Saqib Khan, Sameer Minhas, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr, Ubaid Shah