Pakistan have named a 14 man squad for their home Test series against Sri Lanka next month, with Babar Azam continuing as captain, Salman Ali Agha returning to the side, and three uncapped batters earning their first call-ups. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced the squad on Saturday, October 24, for a two Test series that will test a reshaped red ball side at home.
The return of Agha is the clearest sign of a change in direction. The 32 year old former Twenty20 captain was among seven players released mid series after Pakistan lost two Tests to England in August. He was then removed as the Twenty20 captain and left out of this month’s Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka. His way back has come through the one day game, where he impressed with a century against Sri Lanka last Sunday.
Left arm spinner Ali Usman has also returned. He was among the players released during the England tour, and his inclusion gives Pakistan another spin option for home conditions, where slow bowling often plays a large part in the second half of a Test.
The new faces are Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Taha and Mohammad Suleman. All three have been called up for the first time after catching the selectors’ attention with their performances in domestic cricket. Their selection shows a willingness to look beyond established names and to give young batters a chance to prove themselves at the highest level.
The most notable omission is Shan Masood. The former captain is not in the 14, despite scoring a fighting 95 against England in the third Test last month. His absence underlines how firmly the selectors are reshaping the batting group, and it will be one of the main talking points around this squad.
The full squad is: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saud Shakeel.
The series itself starts with the first Test on November 9 at Rawalpindi, followed by the second Test on November 17 at Lahore. This is an initial 14 man squad, and two fast bowlers will be added after the warm-up match between the PCB Patron’s XI and Sri Lanka, which runs from November 4 to 6 at the Islamabad Club.
For Pakistan, the series is a chance to bounce back from a 3-0 series loss in England. A home series against Sri Lanka offers a more familiar setting, but it also brings pressure to show progress, especially from a batting line-up that has been changed in several places at once.
What should readers watch for next? First, which two fast bowlers are added after the warm-up match, and how the new ball attack shapes up for Rawalpindi. Second, whether any of the three uncapped batters go straight into the playing eleven, or whether they are carried as cover for the first Test. Third, whether Agha’s one day form carries into the longer format, where patience and concentration are tested over five days rather than fifty overs.
[…] situation became even more difficult when Salman Ali Agha, who had made 26 from 49 balls, was caught at 121 for six. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Razaullah then […]