The Pakistan Cricket Board: Uncapped batters Mohammad Taha, Mohammad Suleman and Sameer Minhas were on Saturday handed maiden call-ups as Pakistan named an initial 14-member squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
The series will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from November 9-21, with Babar Azam continuing as Pakistan’s Test captain. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said two more pacers would be added to the squad from the PCB Patron’s XI plays in a three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka, to be held at the Islamabad Club from November 4-6.
The three newcomers have earned their places on the back of strong domestic form. Taha, a 26-year-old left-hander, is the leading run-getter in the ongoing President’s Trophy Grade-I first-class competition, which began in September, by amassing 730 runs from seven matches, including three hundreds and a top score of 225.
Suleman, a right-hander, is fifth on the run charts in the same tournament with 652 runs, also with three centuries to his name. Sameer, another right-handed batter, has made 405 runs in seven matches in his debut first-class season after impressing for Pakistan U-19.
Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Razaullah and Saud Shakeel retained their places, as did wicketkeepers Mohammad Ghazi Ghori and Saad Baig. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman and batter Salman Ali Agha complete the squad.
Saad will captain the PCB Patron’s XI in the warm-up game, where all three newbie batters will also feature along with Test squad members Abdullah, Ali Usman and Azan. The Patron’s XI pace attack comprises Mohammad Salman, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr, Ali Shabbir, Saqib Khan and Ubaid Shah, while batter Mohammad Tayyab Arif is also part of the 13-member side.
The first Test will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from November 9-13, followed by the second Test at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from November 17-21. Pakistan are currently at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with 4.63 PCT, while Sri Lanka are at seventh spot with 33.33 PCT.
Pakistan Test squad: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saud Shakeel.
The first Test will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from November 9-13, followed by the second Test at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from November 17-21. Pakistan are currently at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with 4.63 PCT, while Sri Lanka are at seventh spot with 33.33 PCT.
Article Source: IANS
