Galle and Colombo to host Pakistan in two-Test series

LAHORE: Pakistan will return to Galle — where they recorded the highest-ever chase for the venue last year — for the first of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka next month.

The first Test will commence at the Galle International Cricket Stadium on July 16 and the two teams will then travel to Colombo for the second Test at the Singhalese Sports Club from July 24-28.

For what is Pakistan’s first assignment in the 2023-25 cycle of the ICC World Test Championship, the Babar Azam’s side will reach Sri Lanka on July 9 and play a two-day warm-up game on July 11-12 before they head south for the first Test.

The venue for the warm-up fixture will be confirmed closer to time.

Pakistan last toured Sri Lanka in July 2022 and that two-match Test series resulted in 1-1. Pakistan scaled the target of 342 to register the best run chase at the ground and win the first Test by four wickets. The hosts pounced back in the second Test to level the series with a 246-run win.

Pakistan last played a Test at the Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo in 2014. They have played six Tests at the ground, winning one, losing one, and the other four matches ended in draw.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain & wicketkeeper), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imamul Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood.

Player support personnel: Rehanul 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 (retd) Usman Anwari (security manager), Talha Ejaz (analyst) and Malang Ali (masseur).