Chief selector Wahab Riaz has unveiled the 18-member Pakistan Test squad for the upcoming Australia tour, which begins on December 14, 2023 and ends on January 7, 2024. This is Riaz’s first assignment since taking charge of the National Men’s Selection Committee last week.
Shan Masood will lead the Test team for the first time, taking over the captaincy from Babar Azam for the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. The squad includes left-handed opening batsman Sam Ayub, who has earned his maiden Test call-up after impressive performances in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24. The 22-year-old’s exceptional performances in the domestic tournament caught the attention of the selectors, where he scored 553 runs in four matches for Karachi Whites, including a match-winning double century.
Promising right-arm fast bowler Khurram Shahzad has also earned his maiden Test call-up after emerging as the leading wicket-taker in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24 with 36 wickets in eight matches.
Fast bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf is also returning to the team, who last played a Test during England’s tour of Pakistan in late 2022. Left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza and right-arm fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Jr., both performed well and have also made a comeback in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24.
The team has a mix of experience and new talent, with Masood leading the team and players like Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam and the returning Ashraf. As the team prepares for the challenging Australian conditions, cricket fans are eager to see how this diverse and dynamic lineup performs.
Pakistan team for Australia test: Shan Masood (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafiq, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jr., Noman Ali, Saeem Ayub, Salman Ali Aga, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
