Follow UsPakistan pacer Haris Rauf is most likely to miss the first Test against Australia in Rawalpindi starting on March 4 after he tested positive for COVID-19. Left-arm pacer Naseem Shah, who was named as a traveling reserve, will replace Rauf in the squad announced for the Test.
Rauf, who played 34 T20Is and eight ODIs, was in line to make his Test debut in the series and is currently in isolation. It is the home team's third big absence ahead of the series after Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali have been sidelined for the Test due to injuries.
Naseem, who played nine Tests and claimed 20 wickets, last played in the away series against New Zealand in January, 2021.
The hosts have called up Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Wasin Jr to replace the injured duo, who are expected to recover for the second Test in Karachi starting on March 12. Pakistan have also not called up a replacement for injured spin-bowling allrounder Mohammad Nawaz
Australia, who are touring Pakistan for the first time since 1998, have landed in the country on Sunday.
Pakistan's updated squad for first Test: Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Zahid Mahmood