Pakistan’s action-packed 2023-24 international cricket season is set to kick off with the first Test of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 against Sri Lanka in Galle on Sunday. The match will be followed by the second and final Test of the series in Colombo starting from July 24. Alongside the Test Championship matches, Pakistan is also gearing up for the ACC Asia Cup, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 over the next 12 months.
With a challenging schedule of back-to-back international cricket across all formats, Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, and his team will be aiming for a strong start in Galle. The venue has seen mixed results for both Pakistan and Sri Lanka in their previous encounters. Out of the seven Tests played at Galle, Sri Lanka emerged victorious four times, while Pakistan secured three wins.
The last time Pakistan celebrated a victory in Galle was 12 months ago, when they successfully chased down a target of 342 runs with six wickets in hand. Abdullah Shafique’s unbeaten knock of 160 and Babar Azam’s contributions of 119 and 55 in the first and second innings, respectively, played a crucial role in Pakistan’s triumph. Notably, Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is making a comeback after injury, and Mohammad Nawaz and Yasir Shah with their impressive bowling figures also contributed significantly to the victory.
The current squad comprises 13 players who were part of the team that toured Sri Lanka last year. The three newcomers, Aamir Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, and Mohammad Huraira, will be eager to make their mark. Babar Azam expressed his excitement about returning to the red-ball format and emphasized the importance of consistency across all formats.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, just one wicket away from reaching a milestone of 100 Test wickets, is eager to achieve this feat. His presence is expected to motivate and uplift the team, and his return to red-ball cricket is highly anticipated.
Considering Sri Lanka’s strength in spin bowling, Pakistan is well-prepared to face the challenge. Babar Azam acknowledged the insights received from Sri Lanka’s former coach, Mickey Arthur, and emphasized sticking to the basics and maintaining patience in Test cricket. Despite results not always going in their favor in the past year, Pakistan has grown and developed as a team.
Babar Azam, the recipient of the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2022, holds an impressive record across all formats. He is ranked third in Tests, first in ODIs, and second in T20Is, making him one of the most versatile and talented cricketers in the world.
Both teams have announced their squads, with Pakistan including players such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi, while Sri Lanka will be led by Dimuth Karunaratne and feature experienced players like Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.
The match officials for the Test series will be Rod Tucker and Alex Wharf as on-field umpires, with Chris Gaffaney as the third umpire and David Boon as the match referee.
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