Babar Azam: Named Pakistan Test Captain for West Indies and England Tours
The Pakistan Cricket Board appoints Babar Azam to lead the Test side, announcing squads for the upcoming series against the West Indies and England.
Babar Azam will lead Pakistan in the upcoming Test tours of the West Indies and England.
Babar Azam has been appointed captain of Pakistan’s Test team for the upcoming tours of the West Indies and England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday.
The PCB named a 16-member squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies and a 17-member squad for the three-Test series in England during a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Pakistan will face the West Indies in a two-match Test series from July 25 to August 6 before travelling to England for a three-match series scheduled from August 19 to September 13.
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The squads include four uncapped players: left-arm spinner Ali Usman, right-handed batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, fast bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori. The PCB said the selections reflect the team’s focus on strengthening its Test squad with emerging talent.
Saud Shakeel has been included in the England squad, subject to fitness, while Mohammad Rizwan has been named as the primary wicketkeeper in both series.
Babar’s appointment comes after speculation over Pakistan’s Test leadership, with reports suggesting some selectors had reservations about restoring him as captain or assigning the role to T20 captain Salman Ali Agha.
Earlier this year, Babar faced criticism after being moved down the batting order during Pakistan’s final T20 World Cup group-stage match against Namibia because of his slow scoring rate. However, he responded with an impressive return to form in the Pakistan Super League, scoring a 52-ball century to lead Peshawar Zalmi to victory over Quetta Gladiators.
The PCB hopes Babar’s experience and leadership will guide Pakistan through two challenging overseas Test series as the team looks to improve its performances in the longest format.
Pakistan Test squad for West Indies (16 players):
Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
Pakistan Test squad for England (17 players):
Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
