Pakistan drops Masood, recalls Agha for Sri Lanka Tests — SkimNews
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- Pakistan dropped Shan Masood from its 14-member Test squad for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, marking a significant shift in team selection after the 3-0 loss in England.
- Salman Agha returned to the Test squad after being expelled during the England tour, earning recall following a century in the ongoing ODI series against Sri Lanka.
- Mohammad Rizwan remained excluded from the Test squad despite being allowed to play domestic cricket, as his status is still affected by an ongoing cybercrime agency investigation.
- Ali Usman was recalled to the Test team after also being sent home from the England tour, reinforcing spin options for the Rawalpindi and Lahore matches.
- Babar Azam will continue as captain for the two-match World Test Championship series scheduled for November 9–13 in Rawalpindi and November 17–21 in Lahore.
- Three uncapped batters — Mohammad Taha, Sameer Minhas, and Mohammad Suleman — were included in the squad based on strong domestic performances, signaling a potential rebuild.
Why it matters: Pakistan’s ninth-place standing in the World Test Championship makes these matches critical, and the exclusion of Rizwan — a senior batter under investigation — alongside Masood’s drop, signals a sharp reset under Babar Azam. The inclusion of three untested batters increases risk in a must-perform series against Sri Lanka, who sit two spots ahead in the standings.
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