Faisalabad: The Pakistan Cricket Board has unveiled a 15-member squad for the upcoming first Test match against England, scheduled from October 7-11 in Multan. The announcement comes with strategic changes and preparatory plans ahead of this high-profile series.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the squad selection was influenced by the head coach Jason Gillespie’s recommendation to withdraw the players from the Champions One-Day Cup playoffs to provide them rest before the series. The team is set to assemble in Multan by Monday, September 30, with a training camp starting on October 1.

The squad is led by captain Shan Masood and features key players such as vice-captain Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Notably, left-arm spinner Noman Ali, a seasoned player with 47 wickets in 15 Tests, will replace the injured fast bowler Khurram Shahzad. While Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali are not part of this Test’s squad, they are still considered vital to Pakistan’s cricketing strategy and will continue playing in domestic competitions to remain match-ready.