Nawaz ruled out as PCB announces updated Test squad for Australia series

• Mohammad Nawaz ruled out due to foot injury.
• Sarfaraz Ahmed, Naseem Shah added to reserve players list.
• Shah, Sarfaraz to be considered for selection if there is an injury.

LAHORE: All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been ruled out of the Pakistan-Australia Test series as the cricket board (PCB) Wednesday announced an updated squad.

The much-awaited Test series against Australia will commence on  March 4 in Rawalpindi. This will be the first time an Aussie squad will visit Pakistan in 24 years.

Nawaz has been ruled out of the series because of a foot injury and he will not be replaced, while Naseem Shah and Sarfaraz Ahmed have now been added as traveling reserves, a statement from the PCB said.

However, Shah and Sarfaraz will only be considered for selection if there is an injury, the PCB said.

Mohammad Haris has been added to the reserve players list. However, he, along with Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Abbas and Yasir Shah have been advised to participate in the Pakistan Cup, which commences on March 2, PCB said.

If required, they will be drafted into the side, the statement said.

15-player squad:

Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, and Zahid Mahmood.

Test schedule:

March 4-8 — First Test, Rawalpindi

March 12-16 — Second Test, Karachi

March 21-25 — Third Test, Lahore

Australia squad

Cricket Australia have already announced an 18-member Test squad.

Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, and David Warner.