Agency :
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Sunday (January 24), announced a 17-member squad for the first Test against South Africa, set to begin on Tuesday at the National Stadium in Karachi,. They have left out Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam and Salman Ali Agha from the players who were named as probables and part of the training camp in the lead-up to this series.
In what will be Babar Azam’s first Test as Pakistan’s captain, he has a relatively young squad at his disposal with six players yet to make their debuts. Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan will partner Yasir Shah in the spin department, while the pace attack includes Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi and Tabish Khan, alongside Hasan Ali. Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz are the only two all-round option.
Pakistan have continued with their policy of chopping and changing under the new chairman of selectors, Mohammad Wasim, even as batting coach Younis Khan had voiced the need to retain players for longer periods of time in order to not only enable the players to play freely but also give the coaches ample time to work with them.
Earlier, Pakistan had left out Shan Masood, Mohammad Abbas and Haris Sohail from the squad that had lost the Test series in New Zealand. Legspinner Shadab Khan remains on the sidelines with his groin injury while Naseem Shah’s hamstring niggle keeps him out. Meanwhile, Hasan Ali has marked his return to the side on the back of his performances in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Sunday (January 24), announced a 17-member squad for the first Test against South Africa, set to begin on Tuesday at the National Stadium in Karachi,. They have left out Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam and Salman Ali Agha from the players who were named as probables and part of the training camp in the lead-up to this series.
In what will be Babar Azam’s first Test as Pakistan’s captain, he has a relatively young squad at his disposal with six players yet to make their debuts. Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan will partner Yasir Shah in the spin department, while the pace attack includes Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi and Tabish Khan, alongside Hasan Ali. Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz are the only two all-round option.
Pakistan have continued with their policy of chopping and changing under the new chairman of selectors, Mohammad Wasim, even as batting coach Younis Khan had voiced the need to retain players for longer periods of time in order to not only enable the players to play freely but also give the coaches ample time to work with them.
Earlier, Pakistan had left out Shan Masood, Mohammad Abbas and Haris Sohail from the squad that had lost the Test series in New Zealand. Legspinner Shadab Khan remains on the sidelines with his groin injury while Naseem Shah’s hamstring niggle keeps him out. Meanwhile, Hasan Ali has marked his return to the side on the back of his performances in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
