Pakistan announced 18 members squad for Australia Test Series. An 18-member Pakistan Test squad has been announced by chief selector Wahab Riaz for the three matches that will take place on the Australian trip between December 14, 2023, and January 7, 2024. Wahab’s first task since taking over the national men’s selection committee last week will be this one.
Shan Masood will captain the team for the first time in this role. After replacing Babar Azam as captain last week, he was selected Pakistan’s captain for the 2023–25 cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.
Saim Ayub, a left-handed opener, has made his first appearance on the Test squad thanks to an outstanding Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023–24 campaign. The 22-year-old amassed 3 hundreds and 553 runs in four games for Karachi Whites, including a game-winning double century against Faisalabad in the tournament final. In the Pakistan Cup, a one-day competition, he maintained his success and finished as the top run scorer. He was voted the tournament’s best batter.
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Khurram Shahzad, a right-arm fast bowler, has also received his first Test call-up following a strong domestic season thus far. With 36 wickets in eight matches at an average of 20.31, the 23-year-old was the leading wicket-taker of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023–24.
All-around fast bowler Faheem Ashraf, who last played for Pakistan in Test matches during England’s tour of the country in late 2022, has rejoined the team.
Both right-arm bowler Muhammad Wasim Jr. and left-arm pacer Mir Hamza, who took 32 wickets at 20.88 in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023–24, will be returning to the team. During New Zealand’s December 2022–January 2023 tour of Pakistan, the two fast bowlers were a member of the Pakistani team.
Squad for Australia Test Matches
Shan Masood (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
