Pakistan have made major changes to their Test squad ahead of the two-match series against Sri Lanka, releasing two players and adding four new faces just days before the opening Test in Rawalpindi.
Uncapped fast bowlers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan have been included alongside seam-bowling allrounder Aamer Jamal and 20-year-old batter Tayyab Arif. Meanwhile, opener Abdullah Fazal and spinner Ali Usman have been released from the squad, with the PCB providing no specific reasons for their exclusion.
Fazal made his Test debut against Bangladesh earlier this year, while Usman's exclusion marks the second consecutive time he has been released from a Test squad.
The changes suggest Pakistan are expecting a pace-friendly surface in Rawalpindi. The 16-member squad includes only one specialist spinner, Arafat Minhas, with regular spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali also missing.
Pakistan appear keen to avoid preparing spin-friendly pitches against Sri Lanka, who have quality spin options of their own. They will also look to avoid a repeat of their 2024 series against Bangladesh, where a flat Rawalpindi pitch contributed to a 2-0 series defeat.
Pakistan currently sit at the bottom of the World Test Championship 2025-27 standings with a points percentage of 4.63, having lost seven of their nine matches.
The first Test begins in Rawalpindi on November 9, followed by the second Test in Lahore from November 17.