The Test cricket mission to Sri Lanka opened on Tuesday, with nearly ninety percent of the Pakistan squad sweating it out in Karachi. The two-match Test series will start the third World Test championship cycle 2023-25 for Babar Azam’s men.
The first two cycles ended in total disappointment for Pakistan. They finished fifth in the first WTC in 2019-2021 before further sliding to seventh in the last, which ran from 2021-23. In fact, Pakistan had the best chance to finish in the top two in the last cycle as they had a relatively better itinerary hosting tough series at home and easier abroad. But it started with a 1-1 series draw in the West Indies and Sri Lanka before they lost at home to Australia 1-0 and first-ever 3-0 clean sweep at the hands of a rampant England.
Opener Shan Masood and medium pacer Hasan Ali will join the camp on Wednesday as they were completing their matches in the English county championship, but star spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi was seen in action, bowling at full throttle in the sweltering heat. Skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have returned after performing Hajj.
The backroom staff, led by head coach Grant Bradburn and batting coach Andrew Puttick were diligent in their work and were passing useful tips to the players. Bowling coach Morne Morkel, former South African fast bowler, will also join in the next couple of days.
Team director Mickey Arthur will also be getting the feedback while busy in the UK with Derbyshire. His tips to the boys will be useful as he knows the Sri Lankan team inside out from his experience as a coach for the Islanders in the recent past.
Unfortunately, Test cricket has been the least successful and least heeded format for Pakistan. They have lost two key Test bowlers in, medium pacer Mohammad Abbas and legspinner Yasir Shah. Both were on the tour of Sri Lanka but had since lost favours with the selectors. The absence of these two, plus the injury to Shaheen Shah Afridi on the last tour, hampered Pakistan’s progress in the longer format.
The most exciting selection for the tour is that of Mohammad Huraira. The 21-year-old has a pedigree in cricket, as he is the nephew of former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik. But apart from that, Huraira has made a rapid stride at the domestic level.
He knocked 986 runs – the most in a debut season and was a top run-getter in the 2021-22 Quaid Trophy with a best of 311 against Balochistan. The next season saw him smash 1024 runs – again the most in Quaid Trophy – with a double hundred in the final that helped Northern clinch the title.
With his form, Huraira can get a place in the eleven in the first Test starting at Galle on July 16. He is elated at his inclusion.
“I am thankful to the Almighty for this honour and will definitely do my best to transform my domestic form at the international stage,” Huraira told the media.
“I know the conditions in Sri Lanka will help spinners. I don’t think much about results and do the basics. I will do my best whenever I get a chance.”
The Pakistan team will practice until Friday and leave for Sri Lanka on Saturday.
