Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi to ‘rest’ for last two Test matches

Key Pakistan players including former captain Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi were withdrawn from the second and third Tests as Pakistan announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming match against England.

Young pacer Naseem Shah and experienced wicket-taker Sarfaraz are also not part of the team.

“Taking into consideration the current form and fitness of key players and looking at Pakistan’s future assignments in the 2024-25 international cricket season, the selectors have decided to rest Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi “, read a statement released by cricket’s governing body.

It stated that the four players were replaced by Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, fast bowler Mohammad Ali, off-spinner Sajid Khan and all-new Kamran Ghulam.

Noman Ali and Zahid Mehmood, who were initially part of the original first Test squad but were later released, have also been included in the 16-player squad, the PCB added.

He also stated that spinner Abrar Ahmed remains unavailable for the second Test as he is still recovering from dengue fever.

The PCB said that the same squad has also been finalized for the third Test match, which will be played in Multan and Rawalpindi on October 15 and 24 respectively.

Speaking to the media after the selection announcement, men’s national selection committee member Aqib Javed said:

“Selecting the squad for the upcoming Tests against England has been a challenging task for the selectors. We have had to carefully consider the current form of the players, the urgency to bounce back in the series and Pakistan’s demanding international calendar for 2024-25.”

He said the decision to rest Babar and other key players was taken in the best interest of Pakistan cricket and its players.

“We are confident that this break from international cricket will help these players regain fitness, confidence and composure, ensuring they return in top shape for future challenges,” Javed added.

The former cricketer went on to say that Babar, Shaheen, Naseem and Sarfaraz remain some of “our best talents with so much more to contribute to Pakistan cricket”.

He expressed commitment to supporting cricketers during this period so that they can come back even stronger.

Speaking about those who have been included in the squad, Javed said they now have a chance to showcase their skills against a formidable England team.

“We believe they will rise to the occasion and make the most of this opportunity in the remaining two Tests,” he added.

The second Test will take place from October 15 to 19 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan team: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.