Naseem Shah has been added in the Test squad for the first match against Australia, replacing Haris Rauf after he tested positive for Covid-19. Naseem Shah was previously in the reserve category.
Star fast bowler, Haris Rauf tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. Haris Rauf will miss the first historic Test against Australia set to begin on March 4. Haris Rauf ended his PSL 7 campaign on Sunday with Lahore Qalandars winning their first title.
As Haris Rauf will remain in isolation for 5 days, Naseem Shah has replaced him for the Rawalpindi Test. Playing at the same venue against Bangladesh, Naseem Shah had taken a hat-trick to become the youngest bowler to achieve the feat.
Previously, Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali had also been replaced due to injuries. Muhammad Wasim Jnr. and Iftikhar Ahmad had joined the squad in their place. Babar Azam-led team will face Australia in Pakistan for the first time since 1998.
Here’s the updated Pakistan Test squad for the first match against Australia:
| Babar Azam (C) | Muhammad Rizwan (WK, VC) | Muhammad Wasim Jnr. |
| Iftikhar Ahmad | Naseem Shah | Imam-ul-Haq |
| Shan Masood | Â Abdullah Shafique | Azhar Ali |
| Fawad Alam | Nauman Ali | Sajid Khan |
| Saud Shakeel | Shaheen Shah Afridi | Zahid Mehmood |
