Pakistan squad for 1st Test against England announced, Shan Masood retained as captain

Pakistan National Cricket Team have announced the squad for the first game of the three-match Test series against the England National Cricket Team. Shan Masood, who was under scanner, has been retained as the captain and will lead a strong 15-member squad.

Pakistan and England will be locking horns with each other in the three-match Test series, which will also be part of the ICC World Test Championship. The first game of the series is all set to take place from 7 to 11 October at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan.

The Pakistan squad for the first Test against England is pretty similar to what they fielded in the recently concluded two-match Test series against the Bangladesh National Cricket Team apart from a few changes. Khurram Shahzad, who shined with the ball in the last series, will be missing the series due to an injury.

In his place, the Pakistan National Cricket Team have included left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who has taken 47 wickets in 15 Tests. Not only this but young players in Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali, who were part of the squad for the Bangladesh Tests, were dropped from the team just after one series.

However, the Pakistan Cricket Board mentioned that the duo are very much under consideration, but due to the lack of space, they weren't named in the team. They have been asked to continue playing in the Champions Cup followed by the President’s Cup. The statement from the governing body read:

"Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali, who were part of the squad for the Bangladesh Tests, remain firmly in the selectors’ plans. However, due to the selection policy's emphasis on consistency and continuity, and the belief that 15 players are sufficient for a Test.

"They have been advised and encouraged to continue representing their teams in the Champions One-Day Cup and the President’s Cup, starting on 3 October, to ensure they stay match-ready through competitive cricket."

Here's the Pakistan squad for the first Test against England:

Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The players, who have been named in the Pakistan squad for the first Test against England, won't be featuring in the playoffs of the Champions One-Day Cup. They have been advised rest by the PCB on the recommendation of head coach Jason Gillespie.

The Shan Masood-led side will assemble in Multan on 30th September for the Test match and will be beginning the training camp on 1st October. They will be having a point of prove this time around as they faced a whitewash against the Bangladesh National Cricket Team and faced a lot of criticism.

The last time Shan Masood-led side faced England in the Test series at home, the hosts were at the receiving end of a 3-0 whitewash. They would be keen to take revenge this time around and give their fans something to cheer about amid tough times for the team.