LAHORE – The Men in Green will fly to Sri Lanka during the wee hours of July 6 (tomorrow) for the two-match Test series.
The much-anticipated tour will commence with a three-day warm-up matches followed by two Tests scheduled on July 16-20 and 24-28.
The first game will be played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, while the second Test will commence at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Lankan capital. The two squads are facing off under the ICC Men’s World Test Championship Cycle of 2021-23.
On Monday, Pakistani skipper and top batsman Babar Azam said the conditions in the upcoming series will be different and difficult, saying the team are prepared for the challenge.
The star batter expressed full belief in his pacer to pose a threat to Lankan hitters. Pakistan’s pace battery has enough capacity to pressure the Islanders, he said at pre-departure press conference.
The squad for the latest Test fixtures includes three openers, four middle-order batters, three all-rounders, two wicketkeepers, two spinners, and four fast bowlers. Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Nawaz were named in the squad.
Squad
Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood and Yasir Shah
Men in Green last toured the South Asian neighbor in 2015, with the Team Green clinching the three-match Test series 2-1.