Mohammad Abbas to join Test squad as a reserve

Pakistan medium pace bowler Mohammad Abbas has been added to the Test squad for the series against Australia as a travelling reserve.

According to details, the 31-year-old was included after Naseem Shah, who was initially part of the reserves, became part of the Test squad for the first Test in Rawalpindi.

The 19-year-old Naseem was added to the main squad after Haris Rauf tested positive for Covid-19 and was ruled out of the first Test.

Haris will remain in isolation for five days and will reintegrate with the squad after a negative test at the end of his isolation period. 

Squad for first Test: Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Iftikhar Ahmed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Naseem Shah (Central Punjab), Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shan Masood (Balochistan) and Zahid Mahmood (Sindh)

Travelling reserves: Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Southern Punjab)

Test schedule:

4-8 Mar – 1st Test, Rawalpindi
12-16 Mar – 2nd Test, Karachi
21-25 Mar – 3rd Test, Lahore