Sarfaraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz and Shadab Khan: Pakistan have handed Test comebacks to as many as four cricketers.
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Pakistan have shortlisted a 20-man squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against England. It is worth mentioning that Pakistan had sent 29 players to England which were expected to be segregated for Tests and T20Is respectively.
In addition to the 16 players who were part of the Pakistani team for the home Test against Bangladesh earlier this year, the selectors have added former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, fast bowler Wahab Riaz, spinner Shadab Khan and uncapped spinner Kashif Bhatti to the squad to ensure enough reserves for the series beginning from August 5.
The remaining nine players in England will continue to train with the squad and will get an opportunity during the T20I series. The only player from the squad against Bangladesh to be dropped is 34-year old spinner Bilal Asif.
All the players have been practicing under biosecurity protocols and have also played a couple of intra-squad matches before the selection of the final squad.
Sarfaraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz and Shadab Khan included in 20-man Test squad
Ahmed, who had last played international cricket during the home series against Sri Lanka last year, has been included as the second wicket-keeper batsman behind Mohammad Rizwan.
Having called time on his Test career last year, Riaz had made himself available for the Test series. Shadab, who last played Test cricket on the tour of South Africa last year, has been included alongside two other spinners in Yasir Shah and Bhatti.
In the fast bowling division, Sohail Khan and Usman Shinwari have been recalled into the team. Sohail, 36, picked up a couple of five-wicket hauls in the intra-squad matches to press his case for a comeback after four years. Shinwari, on the other hand, had made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at home last year.
Pakistan Test squad for England tour
Azhar Ali (c), Babar Azam, Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Sr, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah
