The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a 16-member squad for the three-match Test series against Australia.
Shan Masood, who played his last Test against New Zealand in January 2021, has been recalled by Pakistan. Among the squad is pace bowler Haris Rauf, who has made 34 appearances for Pakistan in T20Is and ODIs.
Earlier, he was part of Pakistan’s Test squad against South Africa and Zimbabwe but did not make a debut in the red-ball format.
In the meantime, Masood is replacing Pakistan opener Abid Ali, who was diagnosed with a heart condition in December 2021 and is undergoing rehabilitation.
The off-spinner Bilal Asif, who was a member of the Bangladesh squad, has been dropped. For the Test series against Australia, Pakistan named five reserves: Yasir Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah and Kamran Ghulam.
A PCB release announces that the players in the Test squad who are not involved in the ongoing PSL season will gather in Karachi on February 16 for a training camp.
Pakistan chief selector Muhammad Wasim said, “We have made only changes where absolutely necessary for the important home series against Australia.”
“We are doing this to give the boys confidence, reward them for their excellent performance in the longer version of the match in 2021, and continue to build the side for the future.”.
“These are the most talented, most available, and in-form players in the domestic circuit. I am confident they will put up a great performance against a formidable Australian team,” he added.
The first of three Test matches between Pakistan and Australia will be played in Rawalpindi on March 4, the first time that Australia has visited Pakistan in 24 years.
Pakistan Test squad against Australia: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood
Reserved players: Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah.
