Babar Azam considered the backbone of Pakistan’s batting lineup, is poised to play a pivotal role in the upcoming series against the West Indies.
The experienced batsman is determined to maintain his fine form against the West Indies and has several records in his sights. He can surpass Pakistan’s legendary cricketer Imran Khan in terms of total runs scored against the West Indies.
Currently, Imran Khan stands as Pakistan’s fifth-highest run-scorer against the West Indies in international cricket with 1,977 runs. Babar, who has 1,676 runs across all formats against the West Indies, needs 302 more to break the former captain’s record.
Both greats also share the record of 11 half-centuries each against the West Indies. One additional half-century in the upcoming series would put Babar ahead of Imran Khan in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the two ICC World Test Championship matches against the West Indies.
According to the PCB’s statement, seven changes have been made to the 15-member Test squad that toured South Africa. Abrar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, and Mohammad Huraira have returned to the side.
The squad includes Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan, Nauman Ali, and Salman Ali Agha.
Additionally, Mohammad Ali, Kashif Ali, and Rohail Nazir are also part of the team, while Aamir Jamal, Mohammad Abbas, Mir Hamza, and Naseem Shah have been rested.
Pakistan’s Test squad against the West Indies:
- 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)
- Nauman Ali
- Rohail Nazir (Wicketkeeper, Batter)
- Sajid Khan
- Salman Ali Agha
It is noteworthy that the first match of the series will be played from January 17 to 21, and the second Test will take place from January 25 to 29 in Multan.
