The Pakistan Cricket Board has added pace-bowling all-rounder Aamir Jamal and three uncapped players to the Pakistan Sri Lanka Tests squad, taking the team to 16 players two days before the first Test.
Batter Mohammad Tayyab Arif and fast bowlers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan have earned their maiden call-ups after strong domestic seasons and the PCB Patron’s XI practice match against Sri Lanka at the Islamabad Club from November 4 to 6. The board released Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal from the original 14-member squad.
The first Test starts at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, November 9, with the second at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from November 17 to 21. Both matches count towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, in which Pakistan sit bottom of the table and Sri Lanka are seventh.
Aamir Jamal earns a recall
Aamir, who has played nine Tests, three one-day internationals and six T20Is for Pakistan, returns on the back of a strong run in domestic cricket. He was named player of the final in the President’s Trophy Grade-I after taking seven for 32 and scoring 55 to help Markhor IT Solutions win the title.
He also made an impact in the opening round of the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Gold, taking three wickets and scoring 74 and 23 while captaining Lahore Whites. He was sent home during Pakistan’s recent tour of England, so the recall is a clear vote of confidence from the selectors.
His all-round skills give the team balance in home conditions.
Three debutants rewarded for domestic form
Tayyab, 19, has been one of the leading performers in domestic first-class cricket this season. The right-handed batter from Sialkot scored 727 runs in seven matches for Kingsmen Academy in the departmental tournament at an average of 66.09, including three centuries in his maiden season.
Ali Shabbir, also 19, has taken 22 wickets in eight first-class matches. He claimed three wickets in the practice game against Sri Lanka, with bowling coach Shaun Tait said to have been impressed by the young fast bowler’s pace and rhythm.
Saqib Khan was among the standout performers in Karachi Blues’ Quaid-i-Azam Trophy 2025-26 title-winning campaign. He finished with 47 wickets in nine matches at an average of 20.60, including best figures of seven for 34.
The three call-ups underline the team management’s emphasis on rewarding domestic performances. The original squad already included several relatively inexperienced players, among them Mohammad Taha, Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Suleman and all-rounder Razaullah.
Pakistan Sri Lanka Tests squad: why youth got the nod
Pakistan’s position at the bottom of the World Test Championship table explains the bold picks. With little to lose in the standings, the selectors have chosen to blood young players at home. Mohammad Abbas will lead the pace attack as the senior bowler, and his experience will matter all the more in a squad full of debutants.
Abbas, who has taken more than 110 Test wickets, is chasing a maiden five-wicket haul on home soil and welcomed the young picks as a chance for them to secure their place.
The build-up has been steady. Pakistan’s squad has been training for the series, Sri Lanka warmed up with a win over a Patron’s XI, and ticket prices for the Rawalpindi Test have been announced. The three newcomers all played in that practice match against the same opposition.
Sri Lanka name a settled squad
Sri Lanka, led by Kusal Mendis, have named a 15-member squad featuring experienced players Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva and Prabath Jayasuriya. Pakistan lead the head-to-head 23-17 in 59 Tests, with 19 draws, and won the last home series 1-0 in 2019-20.
The contrast between the two squads is sharp: Sri Lanka arrive with a settled, experienced group, while Pakistan hand debuts to three players and a recall to Aamir Jamal. For the hosts, it is a chance to climb off the foot of the table and test whether domestic form travels. Elsewhere in Test cricket, Mohammed Shami announced his retirement from the format this week.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Mohammad Tayyab Arif, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saqib Khan, Saud Shakeel.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the new players in Pakistan’s Test squad for Sri Lanka?
Aamir Jamal returns, while Mohammad Tayyab Arif, Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan have earned maiden call-ups. Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal were released.
When does the first Test against Sri Lanka start?
The first Test starts at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on November 9. The second Test is at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from November 17 to 21.
How many players are in Pakistan’s squad now?
The squad now has 16 players.
Who leads Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka are led by Kusal Mendis, who has named a 15-member squad featuring Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva and Prabath Jayasuriya.
