Pakistan’s Test squad for the upcoming tour of the West Indies and England is expected to be announced next week.
According to media reports, the national selectors held their final consultation earlier this week, but the squad announcement was delayed due to concerns over the fitness of several players. Sources said that because of these fitness issues, additional players were called up to the red-ball training camp.
Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Hamza Nazeer, Rohail Nazir, and Arafat Minhas have joined the camp, while efforts are underway to ensure the full recovery of Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel.
The players dealing with fitness concerns will undergo assessments next week. Following those evaluations, the Test squad will be finalised and announced. The red-ball camp will also conclude once the squad is named.
The additional players have been called up as backup options for Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, who have not been dropped from the squad. Spinner Ali Usman is also being considered for selection. Pakistan’s practice match in the West Indies is scheduled to begin on July 18, while the first Test will start on July 25.
It is worth mentioning here that the Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is in a race against time to recover from injury to make it to the squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies next month.
Rizwan is currently training in Pakistan’s red-ball training camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) that started on June 8 and will run till July 10.
It is reported, however, that the veteran wicket-keeper arrived at the camp a week later than his schedule as the PCB did not consider him fit, and he has since been undergoing rehabilitation under the supervision of the PCB medical team.
Read more: Mohammad Rizwan’s availability in doubt for West Indies series
