The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named an 18-member squad for the upcoming tour of Australia, including left-handed opening batter Saim Ayub in the Test side. Saim’s selection comes on the back of an impressive performance in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24, where he scored 553 runs in four matches for Karachi Whites and had three centuries, including a match-winning double-century. The team will play three tests in Australia from 14 December 2023 to 7 January 2024, with Shan Masood leading as Test captain. Fast bowler Khurram Shehzad, highest wicket-taker of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2023-24, has also received his maiden Test call-up, along with the return of Faheem Ashraf, Mir Hamza, and Mohammad Wasim Jr to the squad. Newly appointed chief selector Wahab Riaz emphasized the squad’s preparation for the challenging Australian conditions and added more pace bowling resources. The team includes Shan Masood, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.