Pakistan captain Babar Azam says his side already has one eye on the next World Test Championship cycle, with a young squad preparing for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka that begins in Rawalpindi on Monday, 9 November. Pakistan have dropped out of contention for next year's final at The Oval, having won just two Tests in the current cycle and sitting ninth in the standings with four fixtures remaining.

"Looking forward to the next one"

Babar was frank about where Pakistan stand in this cycle — and clear about where the focus has shifted.

"We are pretty much out of the WTC this year, so we're looking forward to the next one."

The squad for the Sri Lanka series underlines the point. Pakistan have turned to youth, with more than half a dozen new players in the side — young talent performing domestically, brought in to develop the next crop of Pakistan Test stars before the next World Test Championship cycle, which runs from 2027 to 2029.

Babar said the team is quite young and the aim is a better combination of seniors and juniors, giving youngsters the chance to express themselves, perform well and take the team to the next level. The message to the newcomers is simple: learn from the past, don't dwell on it, and play the way the team wants to play now.

A young squad for a fresh start

The PCB added four players to the squad on Saturday, 7 November, for the opening Test — pace-bowling all-rounder Aamer Jamal was recalled, while Ali Shabbir, Muhammad Tayyab Arif and Saqib Khan earned their places. The 16-member squad is:

  • Babar Azam (c), Aamer Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Muhammad Tayyab Arif, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saqib Khan, Saud Shakeel

Sri Lanka's challenge

Time is also running out for Sri Lanka in this World Test Championship cycle. They sit seventh in the standings, having won just once, and this is Kusal Mendis' first tour as Test captain since he took over from Dhananjaya de Silva.

Mendis expects a different kind of wicket in Rawalpindi and says his batters will have to manage their skills and preparation well. He backs his batting line-up, pointing to senior players in Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva and himself, and to the side's good performances in England in 2024. Sri Lanka's 15-member squad is:

  • Kusal Mendis (c), Anjala Bandara, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sonal Dinusha, Asitha Fernando, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Kamindu Mendis, Keshara Nuwantha, Milan Rathnayake, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Lahiru Udara

Pakistan hold a 23–17 advantage over Sri Lanka in 59 previous Test meetings, with 19 matches ending in draws. Play in Rawalpindi starts at 9:30am PKT each day.

What the series means

Neither side can reach next year's final, so this series is about something else: the rebuild. For Pakistan it is the first step towards the 2027–29 cycle, with a young squad and a captain asking to be judged on the future, not the past. For Sri Lanka it is a new captain's first Test series in charge, with a senior batting core to lean on.

The first Test runs from 9 to 13 November at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and the second from 17 to 21 November at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Both Tests count towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27.

Also on CricVic: Pakistan add Aamer Jamal and three debutants to Sri Lanka Test squad — https://cricvic.com/blog/pakistan-add-aamer-jamal-three-debutants-sri-lanka-test-squad

Source: ICC — Babar reveals new World Test Championship aim for Pakistan — https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/babar-reveals-new-world-test-championship-aim-for-pakistan