Pakistan’s upcoming tour of Australia will feature a notable 18-man squad, led by newly-appointed red-ball captain Shan Masood. Opening batter Saim Ayub, fast-bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, and pacers Mir Hamza and Khurram Shahzad have earned spots in the squad for the three-test series scheduled in Perth (December 14-18), Melbourne (December 26-30), and Sydney (January 3-7).

Ayub, known for his T20I contributions, is set to make his Test debut after an impressive display in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, where he scored 203 and 109. With a total of 1069 runs in 14 first-class games, Ayub boasts an average of 46.47.

Khurram Shahzad, a right-arm seamer, has extensive first-class experience with 135 wickets at an average of 29.08. His outstanding performance in the 2023-24 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he emerged as the leading wicket-taker with 36 wickets at 20.30, secured his place in the squad.

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Mir Hamza, the left-arm quick, was the second-highest wicket-taker in the same tournament, claiming 32 scalps at an average of 20.87. Although he has played three Tests, he currently holds two wickets to his name.

The squad also welcomes back Faheem Ashraf, who last played a Test in December 2022. Notably, Naseem Shah is still recovering from a shoulder injury, and Haris Rauf has made himself unavailable for selection, citing concerns about his body, fitness, and workload.

Chief selector Wahab Riaz expressed disappointment in Rauf’s last-minute withdrawal, emphasizing the importance of players sacrificing for national duty. This series holds significance for Babar Azam, who resigned as the team captain last week. The last time Pakistan played a Test series in Australia was in 2019, where they suffered defeats in both games.

Pakistan squad:

• Shan Masood (c)
• Aamer Jamal
• Abdullah Shafique
• Abrar Ahmed
• Babar Azam
• Faheem Ashraf
• Hasan Ali
• Imam-ul-Haq
• Khurram Shahzad
• Mir Hamza
• Mohammad Rizwan
• Mohammad Wasim Jnr
• Nauman Ali
• Saim Ayub
• Salman Agha
• Sarfaraz Ahmed
• Saud Shakeel
• Shaheen Afridi