Agha Recalled as Pakistan Name Shaken-Up Test Squad for Sri Lanka Series

Salman Ali Agha is back in Pakistan's Test plans. The 32-year-old former Twenty20 captain has been recalled for next month's two-match home series against Sri Lanka, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Saturday. Agha was one of seven players released mid-series during Pakistan's 3-0 Test defeat in England in August, and he was subsequently removed as T20 captain and left out of this month's T20 series against Sri Lanka. But a century against Sri Lanka in last Sunday's one-day international has earned him a way back into the red-ball setup. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman, another player sent home during the England tour, also returns in the 14-man squad. Babar Azam continues as captain as Pakistan look to bounce back from the England whitewash, but the batting line-up has been shaken up: Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Taha and Mohammad Suleman have all been called up for the first time, while Shan Masood has been dropped despite a fighting 95 in the third Test in England last month. Notably absent again is wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, who remains excluded following the England tour fallout and is currently the subject of an ongoing investigation by Pakistan's cyber-crime agency. The PCB did recently clear him to play a domestic match, but that has not yet translated into an international recall. The first Test begins on November 9 in Rawalpindi, with the second to follow in Lahore from November 17 to 21. Both matches count toward the World Test Championship, where Pakistan sit ninth and last while Sri Lanka are seventh.