Three Huge Names Dropped as Pakistan Announces Squad for England Tests
In a significant shake-up following their heavy defeat in the first Test against England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled a revamped squad for the upcoming second and third Tests.
The series, which continues in Multan on October 15 and wraps up in Rawalpindi on October 24, will see substantial changes as Pakistan aims to recover from their recent setbacks.
The most notable omissions from the squad include former captain Babar Azam, pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi, and promising fast bowler Naseem Shah. Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed has also been dropped.
These decisions come in the wake of Pakistan’s innings and 47-run loss in the first Test, which exposed several weaknesses, particularly in the bowling department.
Babar Azam, who has struggled with his form, has not reached a half-century in his last 18 Test innings. In the first Test, he scored only 30 and 5, further aggravating his slump. Likewise, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah failed to provide the expected breakthroughs, leading the selectors to make these bold changes.
The PCB has opted to inject fresh talent into the squad, including uncapped players Kamran Ghulam and Mehran Mumtaz. The team will also see the return of Noman Ali, Mohammad Ali, Zahid Mehmood, and Sajid Khan.
The new squad will be captained by Shan Masood, with Saud Shakeel serving as vice-captain. The inclusion of young and promising players like Haseebullah, who will join Mohammad Rizwan as a wicketkeeper, highlights the selectors’ aim to build a future-focused team while addressing immediate performance issues.
The revised squad for the 2nd and 3rd Tests is as follows:
- Shan Masood (c)
- Saud Shakeel (vc)
- Aamer Jamal
- Abdullah Shafique
- Haseebullah
- Kamran Ghulam
- Mehran Mumtaz
- Mir Hamza
- Mohammad Ali
- Mohammad Huraira
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Noman Ali
- Saim Ayub
- Sajid Khan
- Salman Ali Agha
- Zahid Mehmood
