Pak vs Eng: Pakistan unveil squad for remaining Tests sans Shaheen, Babar
Naseem Shah also dropped from second and third Test against England; spinners Noman Ali, Sajid Khan part of squad
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally announced a 16-member team for the second and third Tests against England after much deliberation, with key players including Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi out of the squad.
Young pacer Naseem Shah and experienced wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz are also not part of the team.
"Taking into consideration the current form and fitness of key players and looking ahead to Pakistan’s future assignments in the 2024-25 international cricket season, the selectors have decided to give rest to Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi," a statement released by the cricket governing body read.
It stated that the four players have been replaced by Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, fast bowler Mohammad Ali, off-spinner Sajid Khan and all uncapped Kamran Ghulam.
Noman Ali and Zahid Mehmood, who were initially part of the original first Test squad but were subsequently released, have also been included in the 16-player squad, the PCB added.
It further stated that leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed remains unavailable for the second Test as he is still recovering from dengue fever.
The PCB said that the same squad had been finalised for the third Test match as well, which will be played in Multan and Rawalpindi on 15 and 24 October, respectively.
Speaking to the media after the squad announcement, member of the men's national selection committee Aqib Javed said:
"Selecting the squad for the upcoming Tests against England has been a challenging task for the selectors. We’ve had to carefully consider current player form, the urgency to bounce back in the series and Pakistan’s demanding 2024-25 international schedule."