Fans Anticipate Saim Ayub’s Presence in Australia Test Tour

• Riaz names Masood captain for Australia series.
• Social media debates squad choices, buzz on Iqbal, Rauf, and Ayub.
• Shah at 50-60% in 3 weeks, Hasnain progressing, Ihsanullah rehab. Camp starts Nov 22, series on Dec 14 in Perth.

In a press conference held on Monday, newly-appointed Chief Selector Wahab Riaz announced the 18-man squad for Pakistan’s upcoming three-match Test series against Australia, set to kick off in Perth on December 14. The squad, led by Shan Masood, has generated mixed reactions from Pakistani cricket fans on X, formerly Twitter.

Among the noteworthy inclusions is the young left-handed batter Saim Ayub, who has piqued the interest of fans, eager to witness his performance on the international stage. The selection decisions have sparked debates, with some fans expressing their desire to see Arshad Iqbal in the squad, while others believe that the absence of Haris Rauf may not significantly impact the team’s performance.

The squad comprises:

• Shan Masood (c)
• Aamir Jamal
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• Abdullah Shafiq
• Abrar Ahmed
• Babar Azam
• Faheem Ashraf
• Hasan Ali
• Imam-ul-Haq
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• Khurram Shahzad
• Mir Hamza
• Mohammad Rizwan
• Mohammad Wasim Jr
• Nauman Ali
• Saim Ayub
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• Salman Ali Agha
• Shaheen Afridi
• Saud Shakeel
• Sarfaraz Ahmed

Shan Masood will lead the team, and the squad will assemble in Rawalpindi on November 22 for a training camp lasting until November 28 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. The team is set to depart for Australia on November 30 from Lahore.

Additionally, some players have been invited to feature in the training camp, including Arshad Iqbal, Kashif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usama Mir, and Usman Qadir.

However, pacer Haris Rauf has opted not to travel to Australia, citing fitness concerns, despite assurances from the PCB regarding workload management.

During the press conference, Wahab Riaz provided injury updates on Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, and Ihsanullah. Naseem Shah is expected to bowl at 50-60% after three weeks, Mohammad Hasnain has started running and bowling but requires a couple of weeks to build up his workload, and Ihsanullah continues with rehabilitation.

The schedule for Pakistan’s Test tour of Australia is as follows:

• First Test: December 14-18, Perth Stadium
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• Second Test: December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground
• Third Test: January 3-7, Sydney Cricket Ground

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