In big news, the new selection committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a huge decision for the second and third Tests against England. Ace batter Babar Azam and star pacers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi have been dropped from the Pakistan squad.
Babar Azam had gone 18 innings without scoring a Test fifty, while Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah struggled to pick wickets in the first Test that was also played in Multan. That match saw England slamming 823/7d in response to Pakistan’s 556 and proceeding to win the match by an innings and 47 runs.
“The selectors have decided to rest Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shaheen Shah Afridi in light of their current form and fitness, as well as Pakistan's upcoming responsibilities in the 2024-25 international cricket season. Abrar Ahmed (who is recovering from dengue disease) was not available for selection,” the PCB statement read.
The four players have been replaced by Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Kamran Ghulam (all uncapped), fast bowler Mohammad Ali, and off-spinner Sajid Khan. Noman Ali and Zahid Mehmood, who were originally part of the first Test team but were later discharged, have also been included in the 16-player roster.
“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. With these factors in mind and in the best interest of Pakistan cricket as well as the players, we’ve decided to rest Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
We are confident that this break from international cricket will help these players regain their fitness, confidence, and composure, ensuring they return in top shape for future challenges. They remain some of our finest talents with much more to contribute to Pakistan cricket,” Aaqib Javed, selector said.
Pakistan Squad (for 2nd and 3rd Tests):
Shan Masood (C), Saud Shakeel VC), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.
(PCB inputs)
