What happened

According to Dawn, the Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a restructured 14-member squad for an upcoming two-match ICC World Test Championship series against Sri Lanka. Babar Azam remains captain of the side, while former Test skipper Shan Masood has been dropped. Selectors have opted for a renewed emphasis on youth and top domestic performers following the national team's recent difficulties in the current World Test Championship cycle.

Key facts

Dawn highlighted several details regarding the newly named squad, player exclusions, and match arrangements:

  • Maiden Call-ups: Batters Mohammad Taha, Mohammad Suleman, and Sameer Minhas earned their first Test selections. Spin options Ali Usman and Salman Ali Agha have also been included.
  • Major Omissions: Alongside Shan Masood, the initial squad omits established players including Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, and Sajid Khan. Specific reasons for dropping individual players were not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
  • Retained Squad Members: Retaining their spots in the Test team are Babar Azam, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Razaullah, Saad Baig, and Saud Shakeel.
  • Warm-up Match: A 13-player PCB Patron’s XI team, captained by Saad Baig, will play Sri Lanka in a three-day warm-up fixture at Islamabad Club from Nov 4 to 6. Two fast bowlers will be added to the Test squad after this match finishes.
  • Series Schedule: The first Test takes place in Rawalpindi from Nov 9 to 13, and the second Test will be held in Lahore from Nov 17 to 21.

Why it matters

According to Dawn, the roster adjustments reflect a push to bolster Pakistan's red-ball fortunes by rewarding strong domestic form. Recent performers rewarded by selectors include Taha, who led the President’s Trophy Grade-I scoring with 730 runs, and Suleman, who registered 652 runs in the same competition. The upcoming series provides Pakistan an opportunity to test younger players and try to elevate their position in the World Test Championship standings.

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Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 24, 2026 · Photo by Ashwini Chaudhary(Monty) on Unsplash