Pakistan cricket squad for West Indies and England tours announced
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Babar Azam has been appointed captain of the Pakistan Test team for the upcoming tours of the West Indies and England, the Pakistan Men’s National Selection Committee announced on Sunday. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Pakistan is scheduled to play a two-match Test series against the West Indies from July 25 to August 6, followed by a three-match Test series in England from August 19 to September 13.
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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the national squad for the upcoming tours of West Indies and England.
The squad announcement has sparked discussion among analysts regarding the potential return of Babar Azam as the captain of the Test team.
The decision to reappoint Babar Azam as Test captain in place of Shan Masood has reportedly sparked debate among cricket analysts. According to available reports, figures including Nauman Niaz and Aqib Javed have raised questions about the change in leadership.
In a new development, Shan Masood has been dropped as the Test captain, with Babar Azam being reappointed to the role.
Alongside Babar Azam's return as Test captain after a period of three years, a 16-member squad has also been announced for the upcoming tours of the West Indies and England.
In a change of leadership for the national Test side, Babar Azam has been reinstated as captain, replacing Shan Masood. The announcement was made by chief selector Aaqib Javed, who cited the team's poor performance under Masood's captaincy as the reason for the decision.
This marks Babar Azam's third tenure as Pakistan's Test skipper. Under Shan Masood, Pakistan won only four of 16 Test matches, suffering 12 defeats. The selection committee also announced several changes to the squad for the upcoming tours. Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali have been dropped, while 20-year-old uncapped pacer Ubaid Shah has earned his first Test call-up.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced the national Test squads for the upcoming tours of the West Indies and England, confirming Babar Azam’s return as the team's captain in the longest format of the game, replacing Shan Masood.
The announcement was made in Lahore by the selection committee, which includes Aqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, and Misbah-ul-Haq. A 16-member squad was named for the two-Test series in the West Indies, while a 17-member squad was selected for the subsequent tour of England. Saud Shakeel's inclusion in the England squad is subject to medical clearance.
Four uncapped players have received their first call-ups to the Test side:
- Ali Usman (left-arm spinner)
- Muhammad Awais Zafar (right-handed batter)
- Ubaid Shah (fast bowler)
- Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper-batter)
All-rounder Aamer Jamal has returned to the squad, joining a pace attack that also features Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Ubaid Shah, and Khurram Shahzad.
Explaining the change in leadership, selector Aqib Javed stated that while Shan Masood had delivered solid individual performances, the team had not achieved the desired results under his captaincy. “We felt a leadership change was necessary to help improve the team’s overall performance,” he said.
Fellow selector Misbah-ul-Haq defended Babar Azam's reappointment, describing him as one of Pakistan’s most valuable cricketers. “Our responsibility is to support him with confidence and determine where he can best benefit the team,” Misbah added, emphasizing that consistency remains the primary criterion for selection.
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