In a surprising move, Pakistan has decided to omit three key players Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah from the squad for the final two matches of the ongoing three-Test series against England.
With Pakistan enduring an 11-match winless streak in home Tests, including three consecutive losses, changes were anticipated following their disappointing defeat in the first Test against England. As a result, Babar, Shaheen, and Naseem have emerged as the top casualties. Babar scored 30 and 5 in the first Test in Multan, while Naseem and Shaheen collectively delivered figures of 3 for 277, conceding nearly five runs per over.
However, all three players have struggled throughout the year. Babar averaged just 18.5 in 2024 and hasn’t reached fifty in his last 18 Test innings, while Shaheen and Naseem have averages of 72 and 51 with the ball, respectively, this calendar year.
Addressing the move, Aaqib Javed from the selection panel stated, “Selecting the squad for the upcoming Tests against England has been a challenging task for the selectors. We’ve had to carefully consider current player form, the urgency to bounce back in the series and Pakistan’s demanding 2024-25 international schedule.”
He added that a break from international cricket will allow players to regain their fitness, confidence, and composure, and emphasized that the PCB will provide ongoing support for their strong return.
“We are confident that this break from international cricket will help these players regain their fitness, confidence, and composure, ensuring they return in top shape for future challenges. They remain some of our finest talents with much more to contribute to Pakistan cricket. We are fully committed to supporting them during this period so they can come back even stronger,” Javed added.
Aaqib Javed on the decision to leave out arguably Pakistan's three highest-profile players for the second and third Test against England 🗣️
More: https://t.co/3hdovHvzGw pic.twitter.com/LoVHgN027o
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 13, 2024
Meanwhile, uncapped left-arm spinner Mehran Mumtaz has received a call-up. The Rawalpindi-born bowler boasts a first-class cricket average of 33.62 and recently had a strong showing in the Champions One-Day Cup, where he claimed seven wickets in four matches for the Stallions. The 21-year-old wicketkeeper Haseebullah Khan, along with right-arm seamer Mohammad Ali, has also been selected for the squad.
Men in Green have faced immense pressure after being whitewashed 2-0 in a home series against Bangladesh, followed by a loss in the first Test against England, where they collapsed despite posting 556 runs in their first innings.
Pakistan and England are set to clash again in Multan on October 15 for the second Test of their series.
Pakistan squad for second and third England Tests
Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Zahid Mehmood
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
