Pakistan has released leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood and left-arm orthodox spinner Noman Ali from their squad on the first day of the opening Test against England in Multan, as confirmed by the team’s media manager to a local sports website.

Mahmood, a late addition to the squad, was brought in as the 16th player a day after Pakistan had initially named their 15-member lineup for the first Test. The leg-spinner, who made his debut during England's 2022 tour of Pakistan, has taken 12 wickets in just two Test matches over four innings.

Noman Ali, once a regular in Pakistan's Test side, faced a setback due to acute appendicitis last December, forcing him to return home before the Australia tour. He was also excluded from Pakistan's 17-player squad for the Bangladesh Tests earlier this year. He returned to the squad in place of injured Khurram Shahzad ahead of the series against England.

In an effort to streamline the squad and give focused attention to players, Pakistan has trimmed their squad to 15, leaving only three reserve players: Mohammad Huraira, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Mir Hamza. This decision limits Pakistan’s options in case of injuries or concussion substitutes during the Test match.