The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced the Test squads for the upcoming tours of the West Indies and England, with Babar Azam returning as the Pakistan Test captain. The decision marks a significant leadership change as Pakistan prepares for two challenging overseas Test series.
The squad announcement was made during a press conference in Lahore by the PCB selection committee, which includes Aqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, and Misbah ul Haq. A 16 member squad has been selected for the West Indies Test series, while a 17 member squad has been named for the England tour. Saud Shakeel has been included for the England series, subject to receiving medical clearance.
Several new faces have earned their maiden Test call ups, including Ali Usman, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Ubaid Shah, and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori. Meanwhile, Aamer Jamal has returned to the Test squad after last representing Pakistan against South Africa in 2025. The pace attack will feature Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Khurram Shahzad, and Ubaid Shah.
The selectors have once again left out Shaheen Shah Afridi and Noman Ali. Explaining the captaincy change, head coach Aqib Javed said that while Shan Masood performed well individually, the team’s overall results were below expectations. He added that the leadership change is aimed at improving Pakistan’s performances in the longest format.
Former captain Misbah ul Haq defended the decision, stating that Babar Azam remains one of Pakistan’s most valuable cricketers across all formats. He also emphasized that consistency is the most important factor when selecting both players and captains.
Pakistan will begin the two match Test series against the West Indies from July 25, followed by a three match Test series in England, starting on August 19. The PCB hopes the new leadership and squad combination will produce stronger results in both tours.
