GALLE: Pakistan on Friday unveiled their line-up for the first Test against Sri Lanka that begins tomorrow at Galle International Cricket Stadium.
All-rounder Salman Ali Agha will make his debut on Saturday. Salman was added to the 18-player squad for this series following an impressive run in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class tournament in the last three years.
In 18 matches, since 2019-20 season, the right-hander has scored 1,629 runs at a strong average of 56.19. The 28-year-old has smashed five centuries and eight half-centuries. His off-spin snared 25 wickets.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz will return to the side in the first Test. Yasir — who was instrumental in Pakistan’s 2-1 Test series win in 2015 with his player of the series performance — will play his first Test since August 2021 after recovering from a thumb injury.
Mohammad Nawaz will return after almost six years as the 28-year-old last played a Test in November 2016.
Pakistan’s XI for first Test:
- Babar Azam (c)
- Mohammad Rizwan (vc, wk)
- Abdullah Shafique
- Azhar Ali
- Hasan Ali
- Imam-ul-Haq
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Naseem Shah
- Salman Ali Agha
- Shaheen Afridi
- Yasir Shah
The Test series will be played under the ICC World Test Championship Cycle of 2021 – 2023.
The first Test will begin at the Galle International Cricket Stadium while the second match is scheduled to be played from July 24-28 at the Colombo stadium.
A day earlier, Sri Lanka announced an 18-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series.
Squads
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella (Wk), Dinesh Chandimal (Wk), Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood and Yasir Shah
