Aamer Jamal returns to Pakistan Test squad for Sri Lanka series

Aamer Jamal, the pace-bowling all-rounder who took 7/32 and made 55 in the President’s Trophy Grade-I final, has been added to Pakistan’s Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka. The Pakistan Cricket Board has also called up three uncapped players: batter Muhammad Tayyab Arif and pacers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan.

Babar Azam is named as captain in the updated squad. The first Test starts on Monday, 9 November, at 10:30 AM IST, with the second to follow on Tuesday, 17 November.

Who is in and who is out

The four additions take the squad to 16 players, Dawn reports. The board had named an initial 14-member squad on 24 October and said then that it would add two pacers from the Patron’s squad after the warm-up match. Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal have been released from that original group.

The three newcomers have received their maiden international call-ups after featuring in the PCB Patron’s XI practice match against Sri Lanka at the Islamabad Club from 4 to 6 November.

The new faces

Aamer Jamal, 30, has played nine Tests, three ODIs and six T20Is for Pakistan, and his return comes on the back of strong domestic form.

Ali Shabbir is a 19-year-old fast bowler with 22 wickets in eight first-class matches. Tayyab Arif has scored 727 runs in seven first-class matches this season at an average of 66.09, including three centuries, according to the ICC report.

What’s next

The first Test runs from 9 to 13 November in Rawalpindi, and the second is scheduled for 17 to 21 November in Lahore.

Pakistan arrive having beaten Sri Lanka by 3 wickets in the final of the ODI Tri-Series on 31 October. Sri Lanka made 325/8 and Pakistan reached 331/7 in 48.3 overs.