Saim Ayub, Khurram Shahzad earn maiden call-ups as Pakistan name squad for Australia Tests

Chief Selector Wahab Riaz has unveiled the 18-member Pakistan Test squad for the upcoming Australia tour, which is set to begin on December 14, 2023, and conclude on January 7, 2024. This marks Riaz's first assignment since taking charge of the national men’s selection committee last week.

Shan Masood will lead the Test squad for the first time, taking over the captaincy from Babar Azam for the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. The squad includes left-handed opening batter Saim Ayub, who has earned his maiden Test call-up after an impressive performance in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24. The 22-year-old's standout performance in the domestic tournament, where he scored 553 runs in four matches for Karachi Whites, including a match-winning double-century, caught the selectors' attention.

The promising right-arm fast bowler Khurram Shahzad has also earned his maiden Test call-up after emerging as the highest wicket-taker in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24, taking 36 wickets in eight matches.

The squad also sees the return of pace-bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, who last played in Tests during England’s tour of Pakistan in late 2022. Left-arm pacer Mir Hamza and right-arm pacer Mohammad Wasim Jnr, both of whom performed well in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24, have also made a comeback.

The squad features a mix of experience and fresh talent, with Masood leading the team and a blend of players like Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, and the returning Ashraf. As the team prepares for the challenging Australian conditions, cricket enthusiasts are eager to see how this diverse and dynamic lineup performs.

Pakistan squad for Australia Tests: 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