Pakistan Announces New Test Squad Ahead of Sri Lanka Series
New Faces in Pakistan's Test Squad
Islamabad, Pakistan - On October 24, it was announced that batters Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Taha, and Mohammad Suleman have earned their first Test call-ups for the national team.
Babar Azam will captain a 14-member squad set to face Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series on home soil.
Before the series kicks off, selectors plan to include two fast bowlers from the Pakistan Patrons team into the senior Test lineup.
This series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025/27, where Pakistan currently sits at the bottom of the table, while Sri Lanka is positioned seventh, according to ICC rankings.
The squad retains players like Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, wicketkeepers Mohammad Ghazi Ghori and Saad Baig, along with Razaullah and Saud Shakeel.
Notably, Abdullah Shafique, who recently shone with an unbeaten 160 in the West Indies, has been dropped after a disappointing performance in England, where he scored only 84 runs in six innings.
Shan Masood, the former Test captain, along with spin bowlers Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, will also not be part of the squad.
Joining the team are left-arm spinner Ali Usman and batter Salman Agha for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
The young batting trio has made a mark in the ongoing Pakistan first-class season, with Taha leading the President's Trophy Grade-I tournament with 730 runs in seven matches.
Mohammad Suleman follows closely as the fifth-highest run-scorer with 652 runs, while Sameer has made a notable entry with 405 runs in his first-class debut season.
The initial Test squad for the Sri Lanka series includes: 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, and Saud Shakeel.
The series is scheduled as follows: First Test from November 9-13 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and the Second Test from November 17-21 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.