LAHORE: Left-arm spinner Noman Ali was named in the Pakistan squad for the opening fixture of the upcoming three-match Test series against England, as the Pakistan cricket selectors announced a 15-member squad on Tuesday. The first Test against England is set to take place in Multan from October 7-11.

Noman is the only inclusion in the squad that played against Bangladesh in the recent two-match series, in which the visitors recorded a historic whitewash. On the other hand, batter Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali, who played both Tests against Bangladesh have been dropped, but “remain firmly in the selectors’ plans” and have been advised to stay in action during the ongoing domestic Champions One-Day Cup and the upcoming President’s Cup.

“Due to the selection policy’s emphasis on consistency and continuity, and the belief that 15 players are sufficient for a Test, they have been advised and encouraged to continue representing their teams in the Champions One-Day Cup and the President’s Cup, starting on 3rd October, to ensure they stay match-ready through competitive cricket,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.

Following the squad announcement and based on the recommendation of head coach Jason Gillespie, the selected players have been withdrawn from the Champions One-Day Cup playoffs to allow them some rest ahead of the series. The squad will assemble in Multan on Monday (September 30), with the training camp commencing on 1st October.

Left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who has taken 47 wickets in 15 Tests, has replaced fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, who is injured. Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali, who were part of the squad for the Bangladesh Tests, remain firmly in the selectors’ plans. However, due to the selection policy’s emphasis on consistency and continuity, and the belief that 15 players are sufficient for a Test, they have been advised and encouraged to continue representing their teams in the Champions One-Day Cup and the President’s Cup, starting on 3rd October, to ensure they stay match-ready through competitive cricket.

Pakistan men’s red-ball head coach, Jason Gillespie said, “With a busy domestic and international cricket schedule, it makes sense to give our players some much-needed rest ahead of the Test series against England. We are very much looking forward to the series against England here in Pakistan and cannot wait for it to begin. We are excited about playing in front of our wonderful supporters.”

Squad (for 1st Test):

Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024