Babar Azam returns as Test captain for West Indies and England tours
The Pakistan Men’s National Selection Committee has appointed Babar Azam as captain for the upcoming Test tours of West Indies and England. The announcement ends weeks of speculation over who would lead the national side in the longer format.
Pakistan have named a 16-member squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies. A separate 17-member squad has also been announced for the three-match Test series in England.
The squads were revealed during a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The Pakistan Cricket Board also confirmed the team line-ups through an official press release.
Pakistan will play the two-Test series against the West Indies from July 25 to August 6. After that, the team will travel to England for a three-match Test series scheduled from August 19 to September 13.
The squads include four uncapped players who could make their Test debuts during the tours. They are left-arm spinner Ali Usman, right-handed batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, fast bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori.
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Babar’s appointment comes after reports suggested that some key decision-makers were against bringing him back as Test captain. There had also been discussions about giving the leadership role to T20 captain Salman Ali Agha.
Earlier this year, Babar faced criticism after being moved down the batting order during Pakistan’s final T20 World Cup group match against Namibia because of his slow scoring rate. However, he answered his critics in April by smashing a 52-ball century for Peshawar Zalmi against Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League.
The West Indies squad includes Babar Azam as captain alongside Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
The England squad features the same core group with Saud Shakeel also included, subject to fitness. The selection committee hopes the squad will deliver strong performances in challenging overseas conditions.
Babar Azam’s return as Test captain shows the selectors are placing their trust in his experience despite earlier criticism. The inclusion of four uncapped players also suggests Pakistan is preparing for the future while relying on experienced leaders to guide the team.
