The Pakistan Cricket Board has added four players to Pakistan's Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka. The additions are Aamir Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Muhammad Tayyab Arif and Saqib Khan, according to a board announcement on Saturday. The first Test is set to begin on Monday, November 9, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Three players get their first national call-up
Tayyab, Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan have each received a maiden call-up to the national Test squad, the board said. All three also featured in the Patron's XI match against Sri Lanka at Islamabad Club, which ran from November 4 to 6. In that game Ali took three wickets, a useful result for a player who is still only 19.
Tayyab is a right-handed batter who scored 727 runs in seven matches for Kingsmen Academy in the Departmental first-class tournament. He averaged 66.09 and hit three centuries during that season. Saqib was a central figure in Karachi Blues' title-winning run in the 2025-26 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he took 47 wickets in nine matches at an average of 20.60.
Aamir Jamal's experience and two releases
Aamir Jamal is the most experienced of the four, having played nine Tests, three one-day internationals and six Twenty20 Internationals for Pakistan. He was a key member of Markhor IT Solutions' win in the President's Trophy Grade-I final, where he took seven wickets for 32 runs and scored 55. He also played for Lahore Whites in the opening round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Gold, claiming three wickets and making 74 and 23 with the bat.
The board also said that Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal have been released from the squad. Their departure leaves the squad at 16 players, with the four additions included. The Pakistan Test squad is captained by Babar Azam and includes two wicketkeepers, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori and Saad Baig.
What comes next for the squad
The first Test against Sri Lanka is scheduled to start on Monday, November 9, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The four new names join established players such as Mohammad Abbas, Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel in the group preparing for the series. Fans who want to follow the opening match should note the date and venue.
Aasan alfaaz mein
PCB ne Pakistan Test squad mein chaar khilaadi shamil kiye hain, jin mein Aamir Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Muhammad Tayyab Arif aur Saqib Khan shamil hain. Tayyab, Ali aur Saqib ko pehli baar qaumi Test squad mein bulaya gaya hai. Ali Usman aur Abdullah Fazal squad se nikal diye gaye hain. Sri Lanka ke khilaaf pehla Test 9 November ko Rawalpindi mein shuru hoga.
