The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the national Test squad for the upcoming series in Sri Lanka, and it’s an exciting lineup. The announcement revealed that Shaheen Shah Afridi, the star left-handed pacer, has returned to the side after suffering a knee injury in Sri Lanka in July 2022.
This is a significant boost for the team, and captain Babar Azam will have the services of fellow stars like Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Hasan Ali, and Naseem Shah available at his disposal.
The squad has been designed with the conditions in Sri Lanka in mind, and it boasts four spinners, four fast bowlers, six specialist batters, and two keeper-batters. Pakistan has also decided to include two uncapped players in the squad, with batter Mohammad Huraira and all-rounder Aamir Jamal getting call-ups.
Babar Azam will lead the team, and he’s excited about the squad’s potential. The inclusion of Shaheen Shah Afridi is a significant boost, and Babar believes that he will make a big impact. Shaheen currently has 99 wickets from 25 Tests at an average of 24.86, and he’s eager to add to that tally.
“I am very excited to be returning to the Pakistan Test side after a year. I dearly missed Test cricket and it was tough for me to be away from this format. After missing our entire home season because of the injury I suffered in Sri Lanka, I am eager to make an impactful comeback in the same country and complete a century of wickets in Test cricket. I want to thank my fans who have provided me support in tough times and I am ready for the challenges ahead,” Shaheen told Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan’s cricket team is set to gather in Karachi on July 3rd to begin preparations for their upcoming tour. The team is scheduled to depart on July 9th, and the tour itinerary is expected to be announced shortly. It’s worth noting that these two Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle, adding an extra layer of excitement to the upcoming matches.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (VC- WK), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-Ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, and Shan Masood
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