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Pakistan will take on Australia in the opening Test of their three-match Test series at the Perth Stadium, starting from December 14.
Pakistan announced their playing XI for the first Test on Wednesday. Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed was picked as the wicketkeeper for the clash, while Mohammad Rizwan failed to find a place.
Sarfaraz piped Rizwan in the pecking order in red-ball cricket after scoring 335 runs from four innings in Pakistan's home Test series against New Zealand in 2022-23.
Following the announcement of the playing XI, several fans took to social media, expressing their displeasure over Mohammad Rizwan's absence. Here are some of the top reactions:
For the first Test, the visitors have handed debuts to fast bowlers Aamir Jamal and Khurram Shahzad. They have decided to go without a frontline spinner.
The upcoming Test series will be Shan Masood's first assignment as the new Test captain.
"It'll be a great learning for us" - Shan Masood ahead of Pakistan's three-match Test series against Australia
Skipper Shan Masood emphasized the importance of remaining positive during the upcoming three-match Test series in Australia. He opined that it would be a great learning experience for the side, regardless of the result.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Masood said:
"You have to be positive. It's picking your battles, it's being sensible, and it's about seeing the requirement of the games and seeing what are the ways we can save time in the game and create a situation where taking 20 wickets would be easy. For us it's about the bigger picture. We want to come into these conditions and see what are the best ways to win a cricket match. We'll make mistakes, we might not get over the line, but it'll be a great learning for us."
Masood has a chance to create history by becoming the first Pakistani captain to win a Test series on Australian soil.
Pakistan XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Aamir Jamal, and Khurram Shahzad.
