Pakistan Name Babar Azam Captain and Three Uncapped Players for Test Tours
Pakistan’s 16-man Test squad for the West Indies and England sees Babar Azam return as captain and Shaheen Afridi and Noman Ali left out.
By SportCricket Desk · 5 Jul 2026 · 2 min read
Pakistan have named a 16-man Test squad for their tours of the West Indies and England, with Babar Azam back as captain. He starts a second spell in the role in the Caribbean later this month, before leading the side on their first Test tour of England in six years. The change comes as the PCB tries to turn things around after a 2-0 series defeat by Bangladesh earlier this year.
Notable omissions and recalls
Several senior names have been dropped: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Noman Ali and Saud Shakeel. Chief selector Aaqib Javed said Shakeel is being rested because of fitness concerns and should be back in time for the England series.
Fast bowler Mohammad Ali and all-rounder Aamir Jamal return to the group. Both missed the Bangladesh series.
Maiden call-ups
Three players have been picked for the first time. Ubaid Shah, the youngest of the Shah brothers, is rewarded for domestic form with the ball. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman, the leading wicket-taker in the 2026-27 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, also gets his first call. Top-order batter Mohammad Awais Zafar completes the trio after steady domestic performances.
With a mix of experience and new faces, Pakistan will aim for a good start in the West Indies before a testing three-match series against England.
The squad
Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Awais Zafar, Mohammad Ghazi Ghouri, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
