The preparations of Pakistan’s Test squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka are in full swing at a training camp established in Karachi.
Players, including skipper Babar Azam, pacer Naseem Shah and wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed, have gathered at the training camp set up for the 16-member squad. The two-match series is slated to start this month.
Fast bowler Hasan Ali and top-order batter Shan Masood will join the camp tomorrow.
Meanwhile, spinner Zahid Mahmood and Sajid Ali have also been called up for the camp despite not being part of Pakistan’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour.
Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was not present for the first session of the training camp due to personal reasons but is likely to be available later during the day.
The players will be released from the camp on Friday evening to attend pacer Haris Rauf’s wedding in Islamabad. They will reassemble in Karachi on Saturday and will leave for Sri Lanka, via Dubai, on the same day.
Itinerary of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka:
9 July – Pakistan land in Colombo
11 and 12 July – Warm-up game
16-20 July – First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium
24-28 July – Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo
Pakistan squad
Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood
Player support personnel
Rehan-ul-Haq (team manager), Grant Bradburn (head coach), Andrew Puttick (batting coach), Morne Morkel (bowling coach), Aftab Khan (fielding coach), Abdul Rehman (assistant coach), Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (me-dia and digital content manager), Lt Col Usman Anwari (Retd) (security manager), Talha Ejaz (ana-lyst) and Malang Ali (masseur).
