Babar Azam returns as Pakistan Test captain for West Indies, England tours

Pakistan on Sunday reinstated Babar Azam as Test captain, replacing Shan Masood ahead of the team’s tours of the West Indies and England later this month.

The decision marks Babar’s third stint as Pakistan’s Test skipper after he relinquished the role in November 2023 and again in October 2024.

Announcing the squad in Lahore, chief selector Aaqib Javed said the selection committee decided a change in leadership was necessary following Pakistan’s poor run in the longest format.

“We felt Shan Masood could not deliver the results we expected as captain. After discussions, the selection committee concluded that Babar Azam was the best choice to lead the Test side,” Javed told a press conference.

Masood, 36, was appointed Test captain in December 2023 after Babar stepped down. Under his leadership, Pakistan won only four of 16 Tests, suffering 12 defeats. The team finished last in the previous World Test Championship cycle and remains at the bottom of the current standings after a 2-0 series defeat in Bangladesh in May.

Pakistan will begin their two-match Test series against the West Indies in Tarouba, Trinidad, on July 25, with the second Test scheduled in Port of Spain from August 2.

The team will then travel to England for a three-Test series, with matches at Headingley from August 19, Lord’s from August 27, and Edgbaston from September 9.

The selectors also made several changes to the squad.

Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali, both part of the squad that lost in Bangladesh, have been dropped. In contrast, 20-year-old uncapped pacer Ubaid Shah, younger brother of Naseem Shah, earned his maiden Test call-up, although Naseem himself was left out.

The pace attack will also include Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali.

Uncapped middle-order batter Awais Zafar and left-arm spinner Ali Usman have also received their first Test call-ups.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Agha, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness for the England tour).