LAHORE – Pakistan batter Babar Azam is closed to break an impressive record of former skipper Imran Khan in upcoming two-match Test series against West Indies.
The first Test match of the home series between Pakistan and the West Indies will begin on Friday. In this match, Babar Azam has the opportunity to break the legendary Imran Khan’s record.
Imran Khan is the fifth-highest run scorer for Pakistan in international cricket against the West Indies, with 1,977 runs.
Meanwhile, Babar Azam has scored 1,676 runs against the visitors and he needs just 301 more runs to surpass the legendary cricketer.
If Babar Azam manages to score 302 runs, he will move into the top 5 on the list of players with the most runs against the West Indies.
It is recalled that the two-Test series against the West Indies is Pakistan’s final series in the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle.
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced a 15-player squad for the two ICC World Test Championship Tests against the West Indies.
The squad features seven changes from the 15-member Test team that toured South Africa. The retained players are: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, and Salman Ali Agha.
To strengthen the spin department, off-spinner Sajid Khan and mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed have been recalled to partner with left-arm spinner Noman Ali. Openers Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Huraira have also been brought back, replacing the injured Saim Ayub and the out-of-form Abdullah Shafique.
As part of workload management, the pace quartet of Aamir Jamal, Mohammad Abbas, Mir Hamza, and Naseem Shah has been rested. In their place, the selectors have retained Khurram Shahzad, recalled Mohammad Ali and included uncapped Kashif Ali.
In the absence of wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah, who sustained a split in his right-hand webbing during the Cape Town Test, former Pakistan U19 and Shaheens captain Rohail Nazir has been added to the squad.
Pakistan squad for the West Indies Tests:
Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper/batter), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper/batter), Sajid Khan, and Salman Ali Agha.
