Monitoring Desk
PERTH: Shaheen Shah Afridi has been appointed new vice captain of the Pakistan Test team ahead of three-match Test series against Australia.
Pakistan are set to take on Australia in the first Test of the Benaud-Qadir Trophy at Perth Stadium on 14 December. The first ball is expected to be bowled at 0720 PKT.
Pakistan currently top the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 points table after having started the campaign on a winning note against Sri Lanka earlier this year. Overall, Pakistan are ranked sixth on the ICC Men’s Test team rankings.
Reigning world Test champions, Australia will be kicking off their second series of the ongoing WTC cycle. Australia are ranked fifth on the table after their series against England, where they won two, lost two and drew a game.
Pakistan’s playing XI for first Test – Shan Masood (captain), Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Aamir Jamal and Khurram Shahzad
