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Pakistan name Babar captain for Sri Lanka Tests

Published : Saturday, 24 October, 2026 at 9:11 PM

Observer Online Report

Collected Photo

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its squad for the upcoming home Test series against Sri Lanka, with Babar Azam as captain and Shan Masood left out.

Masood led the Test team for most of the last three years. The 37-year-old is struggling to regain fitness after an injury in the President’s Trophy. The PCB press release did not say why he is not in the squad. He was also a casualty of a major reshuffle midway through the England series.

Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq, who came under investigation during the England tour, have also been left out.

Salman Agha, who returned home with them midway through the tour, is back in the Test squad. He scored a triple century in Pakistan’s domestic cricket. He also hit 107 against Sri Lanka in the recent tri-nation series.

After the disastrous England tour, it was thought that Babar Azam’s captaincy would end. But the selectors have kept faith in him after his success in the West Indies.

All-rounder Arafat Minhas earned a place with a strong showing in the ongoing tri-nation series. His younger brother Sameer Minhas has come in as a top-order batter. Mohammad Taha, the highest run-scorer in the President’s Trophy, has also been picked.

The two matches will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore on November 9 and 21.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Sulaiman, Mohammad Taha, Rajaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saud Shakeel.

-EM

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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury

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