ISLAMABAD
Left-handed opening batter Saim Ayub received his maiden call-up for the Test side on Monday as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced an 18-member squad for the upcoming tour of Australia.
Saim’s inclusion into the red-ball squad comes after the youngster put together a series of impressive performances in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24 where he scored 553 runs in four matches for Karachi Whites and had three centuries to his name, including a match-winning double-century against Faisalabad in the final.
Pakistan will play three tests in Australia scheduled from 14 December 2023 to 7 January 2024. “Shan Masood will be leading the side in his first assignment as Test captain,” a PCB press release said.
Fast bowler Khurram Shehzad also received his maiden Test call-up after he became the highest wicket-taker of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24 with 36 wickets in eight matches at an average of 20.31
Meanwhile, Faheem Ashraf returns to the Test side for the first time since 2022, whereas left-arm pacer Mir Hamza and Mohammad Wasim Jr also make their comebacks. The presser quoted the newly appointed chief selector Wahab Riaz as saying: “The squad has been assembled keeping in mind the challenging Australian conditions.”
