Pakistan vs England second Test: Babar, Shaheen, Naseem dropped from squad

Babar and both leading pacers are being ‘rested on the basis of current form and fitness’, Pakistan Cricket Board says.

Pakistan’s former cricket captain and leading batter Babar Azam has been excluded from the hosts’ Test squad after a poor run of form and will not be considered for the second and third Test matches against England.

Babar, who was Pakistan’s all-format captain until November, will be joined on the sidelines by leading pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement on Sunday.

“We have made the decision to rest Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi [from the Test squad]”, selector Aqib Javed said while announcing the squad.

Javed, a former Pakistan fast bowler himself, said the call to drop the star players was taken on the basis of “current form and fitness”, as well as in consideration of Pakistan’s upcoming cricket tours.

Leg-spin bowler Abrar Ahmed, who is recovering from dengue fever and missed part of the first Test, was declared unavailable for selection.

Uncapped players Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, and Kamran Ghulam have been included in the 16-man squad for the second Multan Test.

Fast bowler Mohammad Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan are also part of the squad.

It’s Babar’s exclusion that comes as the biggest shock to Pakistan cricket followers, as the last time he was left out of the Pakistan Test squad was in December 2020.

Babar has been struggling with his batting form of late and has not scored a Test fifty in his last 18 innings. His highest Test score in 2024 was 31, in the second Test against Bangladesh in September.

The selectors said the move could help the players rest and rejuvenate.

“We are confident