A few prominent names are absent from the team, including pacers like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
Pakistan have announced their 15-man squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies, starting next week. A few prominent names are absent from the team, including pacers like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
While Shaheen wasn’t there in South Africa Tests either, Naseem’s omission suggests the management wants to keep their premium pacers fit for the impending Champions Trophy at home. As many as seven players are different from the squad that toured South Africa, where Pakistan lost both matches.
Shan Masood will keep leading the unit, while Saud Shakeel will be his deputy. Other common players from the South Africa tour are Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, and Salman Ali Agha.
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Abdullah Shafique has been dropped and Saim Ayub is out due to an injury, opening the place for Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Huraira. Imam’s last Test outing came against Australia in 2023, while Huraira has yet to make his Test debut but possesses a fine First Class record.
Sajid Khan, who was instrumental in Pakistan’s epic series win over England last month, is back in the side for the home rubber. He snared 19 wickets at 21.11 runs apiece in two matches and ended as the second-leading wicket-taker in the series.
Abrar Ahmed will be another spinner in the side, recalled because the decks will more likely suit tweakers, and Pakistan might play as many as three spinners in the XI. Meanwhile, Mohammad Abbas, brilliant in South Africa, has been rested for the series along with Mir Hamza and Aamir Jamal.
Rohail Nazir will be the backup wicketkeeper batter for Pakistan in this series since Haseebullah is out of action due to a split in his right-hand webbing. Nazir has played three T20Is for Pakistan but has yet to debut in the other two formats.
The two-match Test series against the West Indies starts on January 17 in Multan, and the second game will also be played at the same venue. Pakistan have done relatively well in the longest format lately and will look to build on that.
Pakistan’s squad for Test series vs West Indies: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper/batter), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper/batter), Sajid Khan, and Salman Ali Agha
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