Chief selector Wahab Riaz has announced an 18-member Pakistan Test squad for the tour to Australia comprising three matches scheduled from December 14, 2023 to January 7, 2024. This will be Wahab's first assignment since taking charge of the men's national selection committee last week.

Chief selector Wahab Riaz has unveiled the 18-member Pakistan Test squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, scheduled to begin on December 14, 2023 and end on January 7, 2024. This is Riaz's first assignment since taking charge of the national men's selection committee last week.

Left-handed opening batsman Saim Ayub received his first call-up for the Test team on Monday as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced an 18-member squad for the upcoming tour of Australia.

Shan Masood will lead the side in his first outing as Test captain. He was named Pakistan's captain for the 2023-25 ​​ICC World Test Championship cycle after taking over the reins from Babar Azam last week.

Left-handed opening batsman Saim Ayub has earned his maiden call-up to the Test team after an impressive run in the 2023-24 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. The 22-year-old scored 553 runs in four games for the Karachi Whites and had three centuries to his name, including a match-winning double century against Faisalabad in the final of the tournament. He continued his form in the Pakistan Cup (one-day tournament) where he was named the best batsman of the tournament and ended up being the top run-getter in the competition.

Right-arm fast bowler Khurram Shahzad has also been called up to the Test squad for the first time following a successful season in the domestic league so far. The 23-year-old was the top wicket-taker in the 2023-24 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy with 36 wickets in eight matches at an average of 20.31 and picked up 13 wickets at 16.62 in the recently concluded Pakistan Cup.

All-rounder Faheem Ashraf is back in Test action after a break of almost a year. He last played in white for Pakistan in December 2022. Pacers Mir Hamza and Mohammad Wasim are the other players who are also making their return.

The press officer quoted newly appointed chief selector Wahab Riaz as saying: "The squad has been assembled keeping in mind the challenging Australian conditions."

“We have kept an eye on the pitches and added more pace bowling resources to the team to ensure that the management can be flexible in team combinations in all three Test matches,” Wahab said.

“We hope the team can continue this momentum in Australia. We have tried to ensure the team has all the relevant resources to be successful in Australia.”

Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi