File photo of Shaheen Afridi© AFP
Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was on Tuesday recalled as the Pakistan selectors named a 15-member squad for the first Test against England beginning on October 7. Afridi, who was dropped for the second and final Test against Bangladesh earlier this month due to poor form, was back in the squad for the first Test in Multan. Seasoned left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who was not considered for the two Tests against Bangladesh, was also named in the squad. Bangladesh had won both the Tests in a big upset. Ali replaced pace bowler Khurrum Shehzad who is yet to recover from a injury he sustained during the home series against Bangladesh.
All-rounder Aamer Jamal, who couldn’t play in the series against Bangladesh, was also retained in the squad after coming back from a fitness issue.
The rest of the players were those who were part of the Pakistan squad for the two Tests against Bangladesh.
Pakistan Cricket Board also announced that head coach Jason Gillispie had asked the selected players to be withdrawn from the ongoing Champions Cup ODI event in Faisalabad to give them rest before the series against England.
With the exception of one or two players, all the selected players, including Shan Masood and Babar Azam, were playing in the ongoing play-offs of the Champions Cup.
Pakistan Test squad: Shan Masood (Capt), Saud Shakil (Vice Capt), Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Huraira, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Aamer Jamal, Noman Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Mir Hamza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah.
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