Pakistan bring young players into Sri Lanka Test series squad
Babar Azam said the side has added more than six new players and is focused on the next World Test Championship cycle, which runs from 2027 to 2029.
Pakistan have turned to young players for their two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which starts in Rawalpindi on Monday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement.
Pakistan have already dropped out of contention for next year's World Test Championship final at The Oval after winning just two Tests in the current cycle.
The side sits ninth in the standings with four fixtures remaining, and four inexperienced players were added to the squad on Saturday for the opening Test.
Captain Babar Azam said the selection was aimed at developing the next group of Pakistan Test players before the next cycle.
"We are pretty much out of the WTC this year, so we're looking forward to the next one," Babar said.
Babar said the squad now includes more than half a dozen new players who are performing in domestic cricket.
"Our team is quite young. We've tried to make a better combination of seniors and juniors," he said.
Sri Lanka are seventh in the standings and have won just once in the current cycle, according to the ICC.
The tour is the first as captain for Kusal Mendis, who took over from Dhananjaya de Silva.
Mendis said his side expected slightly different conditions in Rawalpindi.
"We know they will be giving a little bit different wicket," Mendis said.
The second Test will be played in Lahore from Nov. 17 to 21, with the first Test running from Nov. 9 to 13.
