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Pakistan squad announced for West Indies and England Test series: Full team news as Babar Azam returns as captain originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Babar Azam returns as Pakistan Test captain, replacing sacked Shan Masood.
- Masood lost 12 of 16 Tests as captain, including two Bangladesh whitewashes.
- Pakistan face West Indies and England in two back-to-back WTC assignments.
Babar Azam returns as Pakistan test captain for West Indies and England tours
Babar Azam is back at the helm of Pakistan's Test side after being named as captain for the upcoming World Test Championship assignments against West Indies and England.
The new appointment ends Shan Masood's troubled tenure in the role that produced one of the most difficult periods in Pakistan's red-ball history.
Masood had been in the job for nearly three years, but the results never justified the faith placed in him. He ended his time as Test captain with 12 defeats from 16 matches, a record that would have been difficult to defend under any circumstances.
The most damaging results were two whitewashes at the hands of Bangladesh, a side Pakistan would have expected to handle comfortably.
Those results came on top of a series of surrenders in Australia and South Africa. The latest Bangladesh collapse appeared to be the final straw that prompted the selectors to make their move and restore Babar to the position he held before Masood's appointment.
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MORE: Explained: Why Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed could miss The Hundred despite being picked by Sunrisers Leeds
Pakistan name four uncapped faces in the Test squad
Pakistan have named a 16-man group for the West Indies leg of the tour, with a 17th member added for the England series in the form of Saud Shakeel, who is included subject to clearing a fitness test before the series begins.
Four uncapped players have been handed opportunities across both squads, including left-arm spinner Ali Usman, right-handed batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, right-arm pace bowler Ubaid Shah and wicket-keeper batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori. They are all in contention to earn their first Test caps.
Notably, Shan Masood retains his place as a batter in both squads despite being stripped of the captaincy.
Pakistan are currently sitting ninth in the World Test Championship standings. It is now critical for them to perform if they want to retain any hope of featuring in the next WTC cycle's final.
Five Tests across the Caribbean and England offer a genuine chance to collect points and rebuild some red-ball credibility, but neither assignment will be easy.
MORE:PAK coach acknowledges India's superiority, calls them best team in the world 'by a mile'
Pakistan squad for 2026 West Indies Test series
- Babar Azam (c)
- Aamir Jamal
- Abdullah Fazal
- Ali Usman
- Azan Awais
- Imam ul Haq
- Khurram Shahzad
- Mohammad Abbas
- Mohammad Ali
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Mohammad Awais Zafar
- Muhammad Ghazi Ghori
- Sajid Khan
- Salman Ali Agha
- Shan Masood
- Ubaid Shah
Pakistan squad for 2026 England Test series
- Babar Azam (c)
- Aamir Jamal
- Abdullah Fazal
- Ali Usman
- Azan Awais
- Imam ul Haq
- Khurram Shahzad
- Mohammad Abbas
- Mohammad Ali
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Muhammad Awais Zafar
- Muhammad Ghazi Ghori
- Sajid Khan
- Salman Ali Agha
- Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness)
- Shan Masood
- Ubaid Shah
Full Schedule: Pakistan tour of England & West Indies
| Match | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Test vs West Indies | 25-29 July | Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba |
| 2nd Test vs West Indies | 2-6 August | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain |
| 1st Test vs England | 19-23 August | Leeds |
| 2nd Test vs England | 27-31 August | Lord's |
| 3rd Test vs England | 9-13 September | Birmingham |
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