Babar Azam likely to be appointed Pakistan's Test captain

LAHORE: Babar Azam is likely to be named Pakistan’s new Test captain, ARY News reported on Sunday, citing well-placed sources.

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection committee is scheduled to announce the new Test captain in Lahore. The committee is also expected to unveil the squad for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.

The squad for Pakistan’s subsequent Test tour of England is likely to be announced at a later date.

Pakistan will play a two-match Test series in the West Indies, followed by a three-match Test series in England.

The opening Test between Pakistan and the West Indies is scheduled to begin on 25 July in Tarouba.

The series is expected to be one of the headline events of the West Indies home summer and will also mark a historic milestone for the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, which is set to host its first-ever men’s Test match.

Cricket West Indies said the decision reflects the board’s long-term strategy to expand international cricket across different Caribbean territories while strengthening regional fan engagement and cricket development.

The Pakistan Test tour of the Caribbean comes at a crucial stage of the ICC World Test Championship, with both teams aiming to improve their standings in the WTC 2025-27 cycle.

Pakistan will enter the series under pressure after suffering a 2-0 Test series defeat against Bangladesh national cricket team earlier this month. The disappointing result raised fresh concerns over Pakistan’s performances in red-ball cricket as they continue their rebuilding process in the longest format.

Pakistan vs West Indies Test series schedule:

1st Test: July 25-29 — Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago

2nd Test: August 2-6 — Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago