Tag: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Tests

COLOMBO: Abdullah Shafique’s maiden double century, followed by an unbeaten 132 by Salman Ali Agha kept Pakistan in complete control of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka.

At the stumps on Day 3, Pakistan were 563/5 and had a humongous 397-run lead over Sri Lanka with Agha and Mohammad Rizwan still on the crease.

Pakistan dominated another session of the ongoing Colombo Test as the visitors added 166 runs to their total at the cost of a wicket.

Salman Ali Agha and Abdullah Shafique resumed Pakistan’s first innings at 397/4 after the Tea break and stretched their fifth-wicket stand to 124 before Prabath Jayasuriya finally got rid of the latter soon after his double century.

Shafique top-scored for Pakistan with 210 from 306 deliveries, laced up with 19 boundaries and four sixes.

Coming in to bat for Pakistan as Sarfaraz Ahmed’s concussion substitute, Mohammad Rizwan batted sensibly amid his 95-run unbeaten partnership with Salman Ali Agha to solidify Pakistan’s grip.

At the stumps, Rizwan was unbeaten on 37 while Agha had scored 132 not out with the help of 15 boundaries and a six.

Pakistan were 397 and had gathered a massive 231-run lead for the loss of four wickets at Tea on the third day of the ongoing second Test.

At the conclusion of the second session, Abdullah Shafique was just 10 runs away from his maiden double century while Salman Ali Agha was unbeaten on 28.

Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel resumed Pakistan’s batting charge at 273/3 and added a further 46 runs to their stand before Asitha Fernando got rid of Saud Shakeel.

The left-handed batter, who scripted all-time Test history, scored 57 off 110 deliveries, laced with six deliveries.

Following Saud’s dismissal, wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed put on a brief 25-run partnership with Abdullah before getting retired hurt.

He could score 14 from 22 deliveries before returning to the pavilion.

Walking out to bat after Sarfaraz’s unfortunate departure, Salman Ali Agha partnered strongly with Pakistan’s mainstay Abdullah Shafique and stitched an unbeaten 53-run partnership before the break.

Pakistan, resuming their first innings at an overnight score of 178/2, enjoyed a fruitful opening session of Day 3 despite their captain Babar Azam’s dismissal as the touring side acquired a dominating 107-run lead.

Pakistan’s pair, batting since the last session of the opening day, finally got broken in the early half of day three’s opening session when Prabath Jayasuriya, once again, dismissed Pakistan captain Babar.

The left-arm spinner trapped Babar Azam plumb in front to draw a much-needed success for Sri Lanka while the Pakistan captain fell just 11 short of his half-century.

He scored 39 off 75 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and a six.

Pakistan were 210/3 in response to Sri Lanka’s 166 when Pakistan’s first match hero Saud Shakeel walked out to bat.

The in-form batter wasted no time adapting to the conditions and soon put on an important partnership for the touring side.

Saud and Abdullah had added an unbeaten 63 runs amid their fourth-wicket partnership before Lunch.

At the stroke of Lunch, Abdullah Shafique was unbeaten on 137 while Saud was 32 not out.

Notably, Rain played spoilsport on the second day of the ongoing second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Only 10 overs of action was possible on an important second day due to persistent downpour.

Pakistan were 178/2 and had a 12-run lead when the rain intervened.

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Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique scored blistering half-centuries for Pakistan and cut the deficit by 21 runs at the closure of the opening day of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka.

At the stumps on Day 1, Pakistan were well in control at 145/2 in response to Sri Lanka’s first-innings 166 with captain Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique firm at the crease.

The visitors, however, had a contrasting start to their innings as they lost Imam-ul-Haq (6) early in the third over with just 13 runs on the board.

But Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique launched an astounding counterattack and pushed Sri Lanka on the backfoot with a brisk 108-run partnership.

The pair batted a quick rate amid their second-wicket partnership and was looking determined to put Pakistan into the lead by the end of the opening day.

However, Asitha Fernando got a much-needed breakthrough for Sri Lanka in the form of Shan Masood, who scored 51off 47 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and a six.

Masood’s dismissal halted the flow of runs but the pair of Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique batted sensibly and stitched an unbeaten 24-run partnership.

The pair will now resume Pakistan’s first innings on the second day in a bid to secure a massive lead to further strengthen their side’s position in the second Test.

Abdullah Shafique scored an unbeaten 74 from 99 balls, hitting seven boundaries and two sixes while Babar Azam scored eight not out.

Pakistan dominated another session to take command of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka.

The visitors took six wickets after Lunch with Abrar Ahmed leading the charge, taking four wickets in the second session including the prized scalp of Dhananjaya de Silva.

Chandimal and de Silva resumed Sri Lanka’s first innings at 79/4 after the break and added 42 more runs to their crucial stand before Naseem dismissed the former to bring Pakistan back on top.

Chandimal fell after a 60-ball 34, laced with four boundaries.

His dismissal triggered a match-defining collapse in Sri Lanka’s batting lineup which soon slipped to 136/8 with their mainstay de Silva also falling after a brilliant half-century.

He top-scored for Sri Lanka with 68-ball 57 which featured nine boundaries and a six.

All-rounder Ramesh Mendis added vital runs for Sri Lanka amid his ninth-wicket partnership with Asitha Fernando (8) before Abrar Ahmed struck successive strikes marked the end of Sri Lanka’s first innings.

Mendis scored 27 from 44 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.

Abrar Ahmed led the bowling charge for Pakistan with 4/69 followed by Naseem Shah’s 3/41 while Shaheen Shah Afridi had one to his name.

At the stroke of Lunch, Sri Lanka were 79/4 with Dhananjaya de Silva (33) and Dinesh Chandimal (9) unbeaten at the crease.

Sri Lanka, opting to bat first in the second Test of the ongoing two-match series, led by Pakistan 1-0, got off to a shaky start to their innings.

The hosts coped with an unfortunate blow when opener Nishan Madushka (4) got run out, courtesy of a sharp fielding effort by Shan Masood, who charged in from short extra cover and nailed a one-handed direct hit onto the stumps.

Shaheen Shah Afridi then pushed Sri Lanka further on the backfoot when he got Kusal Mendis (6) caught at point.

Naseem Shah then added further to the misery of the home side as he struck twice in quick succession to leave them reeling at 36/4.

The right-arm pacer implemented a perfect trap to get rid of Angelo Matthews as he bowled continuously around the outside-off channel before finally inducing an edge of Matthews’s bat, who could score a mere nine.

Naseem then bamboozled Karunaratne with a sensational delivery. The right-arm pacer, after bowling a couple of outswingers, deceived the Sri Lankan captain with a lovely in-dipper and hit the timber.

Karunaratne played a cautious 17-run knock which featured three boundaries.

Following the shaky start, Sri Lanka’s first-match mainstay with the bat, Dhananjaya de Silva, once again clung on for the hosts and launched a recovery with Dinesh Chandimal.

The pair by the end of the first session, had added 43 runs to the total with de Silva leading the charge.

In an enthralling first session, dominated by Pakistan, Naseem Shah picked up two wickets while Shaheen struck once.

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GALLE: Saud Shakeel scored a record-setting double-century and powered Pakistan to conclude their first innings with a massive 149-run lead over Sri Lanka on Day 3 of the first Test.

Bad light forced an early closure of Day 3 action when Sri Lanka could only bat for 16 deliveries against Pakistan in their second innings and had scored just 14 runs.

Openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Nishan Madushka remained unbeaten at the crease and will now resume their side’s second innings with a 135-run deficit.

Earlier in the closing session, Pakistan were bowled out for a mammoth 461 in their first innings at the back of a record-setting double century by young Saud Shakeel, who remained not out on 208.

Saud achieved the milestone amid his astonishing 94-run partnership with Naseem Shah.

The 94-run stand was majorly dominated by Saud but Pakistan’s number 10 Shah displayed grit with his sensational knock.

Shah scored mere six runs and faced a whopping 78 deliveries to pave the way for Saud to achieve the landmark, which eventually came after the former’s unlucky dismissal.

Following his dismissal, Pakistan’s number 11 Abrar Ahmed slogged a couple of boundaries before Ramesh Mendis got rid of him to complete his five-wicket haul. He scored 10 off 12 deliveries.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s star with the bat, Saud remained unbeaten with his swashbuckling knock. His 361-ball 208 featured 19 boundaries.

Mendis led the bowling attack for Sri Lanka with a five-for, followed by Prabath Jayasuriya’s three while Kasun Rajitha and Vishwa Fernando made one scalp each.

At Tea on Day 3, Pakistan were 389/8 with Saud Shakeel still firm at the crease with Naseem Shah, who scored an unbeaten one from 39 deliveries.

Pakistan dominated the second session of Day 3 despite losing two wickets as the touring side enhanced their first-innings lead to 77, which stood at one at Lunch.

Pakistan’s first-inning hero Saud Shakeel remained the touring side’s mainstay on the third day as well and kept Sri Lankan bowlers under control with a calculated knock.

The left-handed batter surpassed his highest Test score and went on to register his maiden 150 in the format. He is currently unbeaten on 161, laced with 15 boundaries.

Sri Lanka appeared determined in the opening minutes of the second session as the hosts got rid of Noman Ali (25) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (9) in quick successions but Naseem Shah displayed grit to cut their comeback short.

He held his end firm with great defence while Shakeel ticked the scoreboard at the other.

At the stroke of Lunch, Pakistan were 313/6 with Saud Shakeel unbeaten on 119 while Noman Ali stood firm with a valuable 13.

Resuming at an overnight score of 221/5, Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha stretched their gutsy partnership to put their side in command.

The pair added 57 runs more to their sixth-wicket partnership before Ramesh Mendis provided a much-needed breakthrough to Sri Lanka when he got rid of Agha in the same over Shakeel had amassed his century.

The right-handed batter had a disappointing end to his sensible knock as he fell just 17 runs short of his second Test century. His 113-ball 83 featured nine boundaries and a six.

Meanwhile, Shakeel stood his ground firm and kept ticking the scoreboard with valuable support from Noman Ali.

The pair of Shakeel and Ali added vital 35 runs to the total which took Pakistan out of the deficit and into the lead.

At the Lunch on Day 3, the touring side had acquired a one-run lead and will be eyeing to add more to it.

Notably, persistent rain forced an early end to the Day 2 action after Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha’s half-centuries recovered Pakistan to 221/5.

The touring side was in heaps of trouble, having slipped to 101/5 when Shakeel and Agha launched an astounding recovery.

The touring side had a dismal start to their innings as they lost their in-form opener Imam-ul-Haq (1) with just three runs on the scoreboard.

After a brief 44-run partnership between Abdullah Shafique (19) and Shan Masood, Sri Lanka launched a spin attack with Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis bowling in pair.

Jayasuriya removed Shafique to end the budding partnership before Mendis soon hit back to remove Masood, who was scoring at a brisk rate.

The left-handed batter scored a quick 39 off 30 deliveries, hitting five boundaries and a six.

Pakistan then sustained a massive blow when Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya removed skipper Babar Azam to better his superior record against the right-handed batter.

Babar Azam could score 13 off 16 deliveries with the help of two boundaries.

Coming out to bat at number six was Sarfaraz Ahmed when Pakistan were reeling at 73/4, fresh from the blow of their captain Babar Azam’s dismissal.

He put on a brief partnership with Saud Shakeel and added 28 runs to the total before Prabath Jayasuriya cut his knock short by trapping him in his legs.

The wicketkeeper batter could score 17 off 15 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.

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GALLE: Fighting half-centuries from Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha recovered Pakistan to 221/5 against Sri Lanka before rain forced an early closure on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test.

The pair of Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha stretched their budding partnership into a big one in the final session of Day 2 and pulled their side out of trouble.

Pakistan at 221/5 with both Saud and Agha firm at the crease, are now 91 runs behind.

Saud and Agha batted with great determination and scored gutsy half-centuries.

Saud scored 69 from 88 deliveries with the help of six boundaries while Agha was 61 not out by the time rain forced an early end to an eventful day.

At the stroke of Tea, the touring side, in dire need of a healthy partnership, were 132/5 with Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha at the crease.

The touring side had a dismal start to their innings as they lost their in-form opener Imam-ul-Haq (1) with just three runs on the scoreboard.

After a brief 44-run partnership between Abdullah Shafique (19) and Shan Masood, Sri Lanka launched a spin attack with Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis bowling in pair.

Jayasuriya removed Shafique to end the budding partnership before Mendis soon hit back to remove Masood, who was scoring at a brisk rate.

The left-handed batter scored a quick 39 off 30 deliveries, hitting five boundaries and a six.

Pakistan then sustained a massive blow when Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya removed skipper Babar Azam to better his superior record against the right-handed batter.

Babar Azam could score 13 off 16 deliveries with the help of two boundaries.

Coming out to bat at number six was Sarfaraz Ahmed when Pakistan were reeling at 73/4, fresh from the blow of their captain Babar Azam’s dismissal.

He put on a brief partnership with Saud Shakeel and added 28 runs to the total before Prabath Jayasuriya cut his knock short by trapping him in his legs.

The wicketkeeper batter could score 17 off 15 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.

With half of their batters back into the hut, Saud Shakeel paired up with Salman Ali Agha and added a vital 31 runs to the total before the closure of the second session.

Sri Lanka, resuming at an overnight score of 242/6 with Dhananjaya de Silva just six shy of his century, could only add 70 runs for their last four wickets.

The right-handed batter, who, alongside Angelo Mathews, recovered Sri Lanka from a dismal start, continued his rhythm and notched up his well-crafted 10th century.

In the opening session on Day 2, de Silva put on brief partnerships with Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya before Naseem Shah finally got rid of him.

The right-handed batter top-scored for Sri Lanka with 122 off 214 deliveries, smashing 12 boundaries and three sixes.

Following the dismissal of their mainstay, Sri Lanka got a vital push courtesy of an astounding 28-run cameo by their No. 11 Vishwa Fernando.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Naseem picked up three wickets each while Salman Ali Agha made one scalp.

On the opening day of the ongoing Galle Test, half-centuries from Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva took Sri Lanka to 242/6 at the stumps despite a ruthless opening session spell by Shaheen Shah Afridi.

After opting to bat first, the home side endured the wrath of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who returned to Test cricket after a year-long hiatus.

The left-arm pacer ran through the Sri Lankan top-order with three wickets in his first spell.

Shaheen’s first scalp of the match – Nishan Madushanka (4) – also propelled him to breach the 100 Test wickets mark.

Naseem Shah also joined Shaheen and added to the misery of the home side by removing Dinesh Chandimal for a mere one.

With Chandimal’s dismissal, Sri Lanka slipped to 54/4 but Mathews soon joined hands with Dhananjaya de Silva to launch an astounding recovery.

The pair added 131 runs for the fifth wicket and pulled their side out of trouble before mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed got a much-needed breakthrough in the form of Mathews.

The right-handed batter scored a cautious 64 off 109 deliveries, hitting nine boundaries.

Following Mathews’s dismissal, de Silva then stitched a 57-run partnership with Sadeera Samarawickrama.

The pair was looking in control to bat through the rain-hit opening day but Samarawickrama fell to Agha Salman on what turned out to be the final delivery.

He played an important 36-run knock which ended courtesy of a sensational catch by Imam-ul-Haq.

Samarawickrama’s dismissal in the closing minutes brought Pakistan back into the game but Sri Lanka’s mainstay de Silva remained firm at the crease.

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Pakistan captain Babar Azam is upbeat as his team will launch their busy, challenging and action-packed 2023-24 international cricket season with the first Test of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 against Sri Lanka in Galle on Sunday.

The second and last Test of the series will be played in Colombo from 24 July.

Apart from the ICC World Test Championship matches, Pakistan is also scheduled to participate in the ACC Asia Cup, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the next 12 months.

With all-format back-to-back international cricket lined-up, a good and strong start in Galle is what Babar Azam and his side will be aiming for.

Galle is a venue where Pakistan and Sri Lanka have achieved mixed results. In the seven Tests to date, Sri Lanka have won four times (2009, 2012, 2014 and 2022), while Pakistan have won thrice – by an innings and 163 runs (2000), 10 wickets (2015) and four wickets (2022).

When Pakistan last won in Galle 12 months ago, the tourists chased down the 342-run target for the loss of six wickets with Abdullah Shafique scoring a memorable 160 not out and Babar Azam following up his 119 in the first innings with 55.

Amongst the bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi took four wickets in the first innings before he was injured during the second innings and was ruled out of further participation.

However, best bowling figures of five for 88 from Mohammad Nawaz and Yasir Shah’s three for 122 combined in the second innings to share wickets.

From the current squad, 13 players were part of the side that toured Sri Lanka 12 months ago. The three newcomers are all-rounder Aamir Jamal, mystery-spinner Abrar Ahmed and middle-order batter Mohammad Huraira.

“Really excited to be back in red-ball format and all eyes are on the Galle Test as we are prepared and ready for the challenge,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said, adding: “We are taking one step at a time, but we have to be consistent across all formats.

“One of the positives going into the Galle Test is 13 of our players were here 12 months ago. Abrar Ahmed has identified himself as a good option in our combination. I am sure this tour will be a good learning curve for him as we have high hopes from him in this and future series.

“I am particularly pleased with the return of Shaheen Shah Afridi. Besides his wicket-taking abilities, his presence always motivates and lifts the side. I know Shaheen has badly missed red-ball cricket and is now hungry for Test cricket.”

Shaheen is sitting on 99 Test wickets and will aim to become the fourth fastest Pakistan fast bowler to complete a century of wickets. He could have achieved this feat last year had he not been sidelined due to a knee injury.

Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel scored half-centuries, while Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Aamir Jamal took wickets against the SLC Board XI in Hambantota.

“Like any host country, Sri Lanka will like to play to their strength, which is spin bowling. We have had good feedback about the Sri Lanka side from their former coach Mickey Arthur and I think we are well prepared to take them on. We will stick to basics and be patient as this is Test cricket, which is a test of skills, temperament and stamina.

“Test results in the past 12 months may not have been in our favour, but we have definitely developed and grown as a side.”

Babar Azam is the holder of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year for 2022. He has to date scored 3,696 runs in 47 Tests with nine centuries and 26 half-centuries.

He is the only cricketer to feature inside the top three across all formats – third in Tests, first in ODIs and second in T20Is.

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HAMBANTOTA: Pakistan’s red-ball squad, led by Babar Azam, reached here on Monday to play a two-day tour match against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Board XI.

The two-day tour match, which will serve as an opportunity for Pakistan to get used to the Sri Lankan conditions, will take place on July 11 and 12 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium.

Following the conclusion of the tour match, Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, their first assignment in the newly-started World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.

The first Test of the series will take place from July 16 to 20 at Galle International Cricket Stadium while the second Test will be held from July 24 to 28 in Colombo.

The national contingent, which flew off from Karachi on Saturday night, reached Colombo on Sunday via Dubai.

Former South Africa pacer and current Pakistan men’s team’s bowling coach Morne Morkel had also joined the squad in Dubai.

Notably, the former speedster was unable to join the team’s training camp in Karachi due to visa issues.

Itinerary of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka:

11 and 12 July – Warm-up game

16-20 July – First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium

24-28 July – Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood.

Player support personnel

Rehan-ul-Haq (team manager), Grant Bradburn (head coach), Andrew Puttick (batting coach), Morne Morkel (bowling coach), Aftab Khan (fielding coach), Abdul Rehman (assistant coach), Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (media and digital content manager), Lt Col Usman Anwari (Retd) (security manager), Talha Ejaz (analyst) and Malang Ali (masseur).

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KARACHI: Pakistan squad started their training for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, set to commence on July 16 at Galle International Stadium.

According to the details, 16 players including Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam, ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed, partook in the team’s first training session.

Notably, Pakistan captain Babar Azam was in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage of Hajj and returned to his homeland on Monday.

Whereas, ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was in England where he was participating in the ongoing T20 Blast, representing Nottinghamshire.

Right-arm pacer Hasan Ali and top-order batter Shan Masood did not attend the first day of the camp and will join the squad tomorrow.

Meanwhile, spinners Zahid Mahmood and Sajid Khan were specially called to the national team’s camp.

The ongoing training camp will be held in two sessions every day until July 7.

The first session will be from 0900 to 1130 while the second session will be held from 1230 to 1500.

Following the conclusion of the ongoing camp, the national team will depart for Sri Lanka on June 8 and is anticipated to reach the Island a day later.

The Green Shirts will then play a two-day tour match, scheduled on July 10 and 11.

The first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is scheduled to kick off on July 16.

It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan announced a strong 16-member squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka which marked the return of their ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The men’s national selection committee has also included uncapped batter Mohammad Huraira and all-rounder Aamir Jamal in the 16-member squad for what will be Pakistan’s first assignment in the third cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.

The squad has been designed keeping in mind the conditions that the team will encounter in Sri Lanka. The team boasts four spinners, four fast bowlers, six specialist batters and two keeper-batters.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood

Itinerary of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka:

9 July – Pakistan land in Colombo
11 and 12 July – Warm-up game

16-20 July – First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium
24-28 July – Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo.

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Pakistan men’s cricket team’s training camp for the upcoming two-match away Test series against Sri Lanka will kick off on Tuesday, July 4.

According to the details, the Sri Lanka-bound contingent will report at a local hotel in Karachi on Monday before starting their preparations a day later.

The four-day training camp will be set up at Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre here and the national squad will depart for Sri Lanka on July 8.

Pakistan, following their anticipated arrival in Sri Lanka on July 9, are scheduled to play a two-day tour match on July 10.

The first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is scheduled to kick off on July 16.

It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan announced a strong 16-member squad for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka which marked the return of their ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The men’s national selection committee has also included uncapped batter Mohammad Huraira and all-rounder Aamir Jamal in the 16-member squad for what will be Pakistan’s first assignment in the third cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.

The squad has been designed keeping in mind the conditions that the team will encounter in Sri Lanka. The team boasts four spinners, four fast bowlers, six specialist batters and two keeper-batters.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood

Itinerary of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka:

9 July – Pakistan land in Colombo
11 and 12 July – Warm-up game

16-20 July – First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium
24-28 July – Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s young speedster Naseem Shah asserted that the preparations for the upcoming two-match away Test series against Sri Lanka are heading in the right direction.

Naseem Shah, in an interview with a local news outlet, commented on the challenging conditions on offer in Sri Lanka but emphasized the need to be ready for the challenge as a professional cricketer.

“Our preparations are heading in the right direction for Sri Lanka. It is a challenge to play in the hot weather but as professionals we need to be ready for it,” said Naseem Shah on the sidelines of the specialised camp for the pacers.

Naseem Shah also commented on the importance of Test cricket and stressed that it helps a cricketer to improve in the limited-over formats as well.

“Test cricket tests you in all formats of the game and it shows your fitness and skills. Bowling long spells in Test cricket helps you in the limited-overs formats,” Naseem said.

“I try to enjoy and perform well in all three formats of the game. A player needs to do well in all three formats in order to be considered among the best players in the world,” he added.

Naseem Shah then responded to a query regarding his experience of playing in English conditions during his brief stint for Leicestershire in the T20 Blast and expressed his hope that it would help him in future.

“It was a good experience of playing in English conditions. I’m hopeful that it will help me in the future,” he said.

It is worth mentioning here that Naseem Shah was named among Pakistan’s 16-member squad for the two-match away series against Sri Lanka, scheduled to take place from July 16 to 28.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood

Itinerary of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka:

9 July – Pakistan land in Colombo
11 and 12 July – Warm-up game

16-20 July – First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium
24-28 July – Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo

READ: Schedule, venues for Pakistan Test tour of Sri Lanka unveiled

KARACHI: Rashid Latif termed Mohammad Rizwan’s appointment as Pakistan’s vice-captain “not justifiable” and instead backed Sarfaraz Ahmed for the role for the two-match away Test series against Sri Lanka.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday, named a strong 16-member squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka which saw the return of ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi to Test after a one-year hiatus.

The squad also featured young batter Mohammad Huraira and all-rounder Aamer Jamal, who impressed the selectors with brilliant performances in the domestic circuit and Pakistan Shaheens’ tour of Zimbabwe.

Commenting on the recently-announced squad, Rashid Latif expressed displeasure on the appointment of Mohammad Rizwan as the vice-captain and asserted that Sarfaraz Ahmed would be a much more liable candidate for the role.

“Sarfaraz is the kind of player they [PCB] could have named the vice-captain on this tour. He is capable. He made a comeback after Rizwan’s drop in form. Sarfaraz will be part of the playing XI due to his previous performance, so retaining Rizwan as vice-captain is not justifiable,” said Rashid Latif said on the YouTube channel Caught Behind.

“I think Babar should be captain in all formats. However, don’t give anyone undue favour. If there is anyone else deserving of a leadership role in Tests, then that person is Sarfaraz and no one else,” he added.

Notably, a dip in Mohammad Rizwan’s form in Tests paved the way for Sarfaraz Ahmed to make his return to the national side after a gap of almost three years.

The former Pakistan captain grasped the opportunity with both hands as he scored three back-to-back fifties before smashing a gritty fourth-inning century in the second Test against New Zealand.

Sarfaraz Ahmed’s fighting knock lifted Pakistan to secure a draw against New Zealand and also from facing another home series defeat. He was named the player of the series for his sensational run with the bat.

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