Pakistan have added four players to their Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka, with pace-bowling all-rounder Aamer Jamal joining three uncapped players — batter Muhammad Tayyab Arif and fast bowlers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan. The PCB confirmed the changes on Saturday, 7 November, two days before the first Test begins in Rawalpindi.
The additions take the squad to 16 players. Opener Abdullah Fazal and spinner Ali Usman, both named in the initial squad, have been released. The PCB's media release did not give reasons for the two omissions.
Three maiden call-ups
Tayyab, Ali and Saqib have all earned their first international call-ups after featuring in the Patron's XI three-day practice match against Sri Lanka at the Islamabad Club from 4 to 6 November.
Tayyab has forced his way in after a superb first-class season, scoring 727 runs in seven matches at an average of 66.09, including three centuries. Ali, 19, has taken 22 wickets in eight first-class matches, while Saqib was among the leading wicket-takers in the 2025-26 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, finishing with 47 wickets in nine matches at an average of 20.60.
Jamal returns to the Test setup
Jamal, who has played nine Tests, three ODIs and six T20Is for Pakistan, returns to the Test setup. The 30-year-old has been in fine form in domestic cricket, starring in the President's Trophy Grade-I final with figures of 7 for 32 and a valuable 55 with the bat.
Updated 16-man squad
Babar Azam (captain)
Aamer Jamal
Ali Shabbir
Arafat Minhas
Azan Awais
Mohammad Abbas
Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper)
Mohammad Suleman
Mohammad Taha
Muhammad Tayyab Arif
Razaullah
Saad Baig (wicketkeeper)
Salman Ali Agha
Sameer Minhas
Saqib Khan
Saud Shakeel
Series schedule
The two-match series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. The first Test starts on Monday, 9 November at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and the second follows in Lahore from 17 to 21 November.
Source: ICC — https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/pakistan-update-wtc27-series-squad-against-sri-lanka