VIDEO: Pakistan kick off preps for Sri Lanka Test series

KARACHI: Babar Azam-led national Test squad Tuesday kicked off the preparations for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka — scheduled this month — at a training camp established in Karachi.

Currently, 16 players — including the skipper, pacer Naseem Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed — are part of the training camp, while fast-bowler Hasan Ali and top-order batter Shan Masood will join them tomorrow.

Spinner Zahid Mahmood and Sajid Ali have also been called up for the camp despite not being part of Pakistan’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour.

Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was not present for the first session of the training camp due to personal reasons but is likely to be available later during the day.

The players will be released from the camp on Friday evening to attend pacer Haris Rauf’s wedding in Islamabad. They will reassemble in Karachi on Saturday and will leave for Sri Lanka, via Dubai, on the same day.

Itinerary of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka:

• 9 July – Pakistan land in Colombo
• 11 and 12 July – Warm-up game
• 16-20 July – First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium
• 24-28 July – Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo

Pakistan squad

Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood

Player support personnel

Rehan-ul-Haq (team manager), Grant Bradburn (head coach), Andrew Puttick (batting coach), Morne Morkel (bowling coach), Aftab Khan (fielding coach), Abdul Rehman (assistant coach), Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (media and digital content manager), Lt Col Usman Anwari (Retd) (security manager), Talha Ejaz (analyst) and Malang Ali (masseur).