LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to announce central contracts and the national Test squad for the upcoming series against the West Indies and England later this week, sources said on Monday.
According to reports, the selection committee is likely to finalize both the central contracts and the Test squad in a single announcement. Discussions are ongoing regarding key changes to the team composition, particularly in the middle order.
The National Test team captain Shan Masood appears to be under investigation, with uncertainty over whether he will make the central contracts squad list. The captaincy of Masood could be under question by the selectors in light of the team’s performance.
It was further stated that there have been a number of meetings by the selection committee in the past few days in order to discuss player performance.
One of the key areas under discussion is the middle-order lineup, with Awais Zafar being considered for inclusion. In the fast-bowling department, Abrar Shah, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Abbas are among the players being considered for selection.
The upcoming decisions are expected to shape Pakistan’s Test squad structure for the next international cycle as the team prepares for a challenging series against top-ranked opposition.
The PCB has not yet issued an official statement regarding the final squad or central contracts announcement.
Root Becomes Second-Highest Run-Scorer in Test Cricket History
Meanwhile, England star cricketer Joe Root achieved another historic milestone in his illustrious career by becoming only the second player in Test cricket history to score 14,000 runs.
Root reached the landmark during England’s Test match against New Zealand national cricket team, further cementing his place among the game’s all-time greats.
With the achievement, the former England captain moved past Australian legend Ricky Ponting on the list of highest run-scorers in Test cricket. Ponting finished his Test career with 13,378 runs, while Root has now climbed to second place on the all-time rankings.
The record for the most runs in Test cricket remains with Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar, who amassed 15,921 runs during his distinguished international career.
Root also became the first England batter to reach the 14,000-run mark in the longest format of the game, adding another milestone to an already remarkable career.
Cricket analysts and former players have praised Root’s consistency, adaptability and ability to perform across different conditions, qualities that have established him as one of the finest Test batters of the modern era.
With several years of cricket potentially still ahead of him, observers believe Root could continue closing the gap on Tendulkar’s long-standing record if he maintains his current form and fitness.
