Pakistan Test squad vs Sri Lanka: Salman Agha back, Rizwan and Imam dropped
Babar Azam will captain a 14-man Pakistan squad with three uncapped batters for the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka starting in Rawalpindi on November 9; two fast bowlers will be added later.
At a glance
- The PCB named a 14-man Test squad, led by Babar Azam, for the two-match home series against Sri Lanka in November.
- Salman Ali Agha and Ali Usman are recalled; Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq are left out.
- Mohammad Taha, Sameer Minhas and Mohammad Suleman are uncapped; Taha leads the domestic first-class run charts with 730 runs.
- The first Test is at Rawalpindi from November 9–13 and the second at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, from November 17–21.
- Two fast bowlers from a Patron's XI squad will be added after a three-day warm-up in Islamabad on November 4–6.
Pakistan have recalled Salman Ali Agha and left out Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq from a 14-man squad for the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Saturday, October 24. Babar Azam will captain a young side that includes three uncapped batters. The first Test starts in Rawalpindi on November 9.
The squad
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Captain | Babar Azam |
| Wicketkeepers | Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Baig |
| Rest of squad | Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas*, Saud Shakeel |
*Uncapped in Tests.
The squad is not yet complete. The selectors plan to add two fast bowlers after a three-day warm-up match between a Patron's XI and the Sri Lankans at the Islamabad Club from November 4–6. Saad Baig will captain the 13-man Patron's XI, which the PCB has also named.
Schedule
| Match | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up: Patron's XI v Sri Lanka | November 4–6 | Islamabad Club |
| 1st Test | November 9–13 | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium |
| 2nd Test | November 17–21 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
Who's in, who's out
Salman Ali Agha's return is the headline. The all-rounder was one of seven players sent home midway through Pakistan's tour of England in August, even though he had captained the side in the first Test of that series while Babar was unavailable. Since then he has scored a triple century and a century in domestic cricket, and he hit 107 off 90 balls against Sri Lanka in the current ODI tri-series. Ali Usman, who was also sent home from England, is recalled too.
Rizwan and opener Imam-ul-Haq, who were also part of that group, have not been brought back. Former captain Shan Masood is also absent. The PCB has not publicly explained the omissions.
The three new faces have earned their places in the President's Trophy Grade-I. Mohammad Taha, a 26-year-old left-hander, leads the run charts with 730 runs in seven matches, including three centuries and a best of 225. Mohammad Suleman is fifth with 652 runs and three hundreds, while Sameer Minhas, a product of Pakistan's Under-19 set-up, has 405 runs in his first first-class season.
Background
Pakistan's Test team has gone through heavy change in 2026, with the selectors rebuilding after a difficult tour of England. Babar Azam has returned to lead the side in the longest format, while the white-ball teams are also in transition. The Sri Lanka series is Pakistan's first home Test assignment of the winter and counts towards the ICC World Test Championship.
Sri Lanka are already in Pakistan for the ODI tri-series that also involves England, so the visitors will move straight into red-ball preparation once the white-ball games are over.
Why it matters
The squad shows the selectors are willing to back domestic form over reputation: two experienced players are out, and three batters who have never played a Test are in. For Pakistan fans, the series is also a chance to see Test cricket in Rawalpindi and Lahore, where home crowds have grown since international cricket fully returned to the country.
What happens next
The two extra fast bowlers will be named after the warm-up match ends on November 6. The first Test begins at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, November 9, and the second at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday, November 17.
Questions people are asking
Who is in Pakistan's Test squad against Sri Lanka 2026?
Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas and Saud Shakeel. Two fast bowlers will be added later.
When does the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test series start?
The first Test starts on November 9, 2026, at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and the second Test starts on November 17 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Why is Mohammad Rizwan not in Pakistan's Test squad?
The selectors left Rizwan out of the 14-man squad. He was one of seven players sent home midway through Pakistan's tour of England in August, and the PCB has not given a public reason for his omission.
