PCB adds Aamir Jamal and three uncapped players to Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka Tests
The Pakistan Cricket Board has expanded its Test squad ahead of the home series against Sri Lanka.
The PCB has added Aamir Jamal and three uncapped players to Pakistan's Test squad for the two-match home series against Sri Lanka, taking the strength of the team to 16. Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal have been released from the original 14-member squad.
Key takeaways
- PCB adds Aamir Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Saqib Khan and Muhammad Tayyab Arif to Pakistan's Test squad.
- Shabbir, Saqib and Tayyab receive maiden international call-ups.
- Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal are released from the original 14-member squad.
- The first Test begins at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on November 9.
- Babar Azam continues as captain of the 16-member squad.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday added pace-bowling all-rounder Aamir Jamal and three uncapped players to the Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka, taking the strength of the team to 16.
Why it matters
Batter Mohammad Tayyab Arif, fast bowlers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan have earned their maiden call-ups following impressive performances in domestic cricket and the PCB Patron’s XI’s three-day practice match against Sri Lanka at the Islamabad Club from November 4 to 6.
The PCB also released Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal from the original 14-member squad. Aamir, who has represented Pakistan in nine Tests, three ODIs and six T20Is, returns to the squad on the back of strong domestic performances.
He was named player of the final in the President’s Trophy Grade-I after taking seven for 32 and scoring 55 to help Markhor IT Solutions win the title.
He also made an impact in the opening round of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Gold, taking three wickets and scoring 74 and 23 while captaining Lahore Whites. Tayyab, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the leading performers in domestic first-class cricket this season.
09, including three centuries in his maiden season. Ali Shabbir, also 19, has taken 22 wickets in eight first-class matches. He claimed three wickets in the practice game against Sri Lanka. Saqib Khan was among the standout performers in Karachi Blues’ Quaid-i-Azam Trophy 2025-26 title-winning campaign.
60, including best figures of seven for 34. Both matches are part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, in which Pakistan currently occupy the bottom position, while Sri Lanka are seventh.
What happens next
The first Test is scheduled to begin at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, with the second to be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from November 17 to 21.
Pakistan's 16-member Test squad for Sri Lanka series
Player | Role |
|---|---|
Babar Azam | Captain |
Aamir Jamal | Pace-bowling all-rounder |
Ali Shabbir | Fast bowler |
Saqib Khan | Pace bowler |
Muhammad Tayyab Arif | Batter |
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