Naseem Shah added to Pakistan squad for first Test against Australia 

Fast bowler Naseem Shah has been added to the Pakistan Test squad after Haris Rauf tested positive for COVID-19. The 19-year-old was a travelling reserve along with Sarfaraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Abbas.

Following Rauf's positive test result, the rest of the squad were re-tested to determine the extent of the spread. However, all the test results returned negative. The 28-year-old Rauf will now serve a five-day isolation period, following which he will be tested again. On returning a negative result, he will be eligible to re-join the squad ahead of the second Test in Karachi.

Meanwhile, Naseem Shah made his debut against Australia in Brisbane as a 16-year-old. Since then, he has played nine Tests, claiming 20 wickets at an average of 42.45. However, after bursting onto the scene as a youngster brimming with talent, the pacer struggled to break into the Pakistan playing XI.

He last played in the longest format of the game in the second Test against New Zealand in 2021 at the Hagley Oval, returning figures of 0-141. The visitors lost the game by an innings and 177 runs, though.

Coming back to the Australia series, the Pakistan team have been hit with an injury crisis. The Babar Azam-led side have now lost Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali due to injuries or COVID-19 protocols ahead of the first Test in Rawalpindi.

As a result, the hosts are likely to field a pace attack comprising Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Naseem Shah for the first Test.

The hosts will face Australia on home soil for the first time in 24 years. The all-format tour will begin with a three-match Test series beginning on March 4 followed by a white ball leg consisting of three ODIs and one T20I.

Pakistan squad for first Test against Australia

Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim Jnr , Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Zahid Mahmood