Pakistan trio on cusp of milestones ahead of Australia series

As the Pakistan cricket team prepares for their upcoming Test tour of Australia, scheduled to commence on December 14, 2023, the spotlight is on three key players who are poised to achieve noteworthy milestones. 

With three challenging Test matches awaiting them in Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney, these cricketers are on the cusp of etching their names in the record books.

Left-handed middle-order batter Saud Shakeel is closing in on 1000 Test runs, having scored an impressive 875 runs in seven Tests. To match Vinod Kambli’s record as the fastest Asian to reach 1000 Test runs in 14 innings, Shakeel needs to score 15 runs in the first innings of the opening Test match.

Former captain and star batter Babar Azam is also aiming to cross the 4000-run mark in Test cricket, requiring 228 more runs. 

Left-arm spinner Nauman Ali is on the verge of joining the prestigious 50 Test Wickets club. With 47 wickets to his name, he needs just three more to become the fifth left-arm spinner from Pakistan and the 13th left-arm bowler overall to achieve this milestone.

Pakistan squad for Australia Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Australia tour schedule:
Four-day match: PM’s XI vs Pakistan – December 6-9: Manuka Oval, Canberra
1st Test – Australia vs Pakistan – December 14-18: Perth Stadium
2nd Test – Australia vs Pakistan – December 26-30: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
3rd Test – Australia vs Pakistan – January 3-7: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)