In preparation for the second Test against Australia in Melbourne on December 26, Pakistan has unveiled its 12-player squad. The team, trailing 1-0 in the three-Test series, will finalize the playing XI later.
One notable change is the replacement of Sarfaraz Ahmed with Mohammad Rizwan as the wicketkeeper. Sarfaraz, who scored just seven runs in the first Test, has been substituted after his innings of 35 and 10 runs in a recent two-day match. In contrast, Mohammad Rizwan showcased his batting skills by contributing an impressive 50 runs in the first innings of the same match.
All-rounder Faheem Ashraf has been omitted from the squad, while pacers Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali have been included. The comprehensive squad comprises Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi (vc), Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamir Jamal, and Sajid Khan.
The final decision on the playing XI will be announced closer to the commencement of the Melbourne Test. Pakistan is gearing up to level the series and bring a strong performance to the crucial match.