Pak vs Aus: PCB announces playing XI for Sydney Test

Pakistan will walk the Sydney Cricket Ground with a new playing XI, as the Green Shirts prepare to face Australia in their third Test match, scheduled to take place from January 3 to 7.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the squad Tuesday with two prominent changes made to the squad by dropping pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and batter Imam-ul-Haq.

Opener Saima Ayub, who will make his Test debut and has played only eight Twenty20 matches for Pakistan, will replace Imam in the team.

The team will also comprise captain Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafiq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan, Abrar Ahmed, Aamir Jamal and Mir Hamza.

Spinners Sajid Khan and Abrar Ahmed are included in the squad. The 25-year-old league-break googly bowler Ahmed was declared fit for the Sydney Test. He played the last Test against Sri Lanka in July 2023.

Pakistan playing XI

Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub (debut), Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Hassan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamir Jamal.