ISLAMABAD: Left-arm seamer Shaheen Afridi returned to the longest format of the game as Pakistan announced an 18-member Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against South Africa, which will be taking place in October.

Shan Masood will once again lead the side as they commence their ICC World Test Championship campaign, with key fast bowler Shaheen Afridi earning a recall after he missed Pakistan’s most recent Test series against the West Indies at the start of the year.

There is no room for fellow quick Naseem Shah, while the experienced duo Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are included in a playing group that will be trimmed prior to the first Test that commences in Lahore on October 12.

There are a trio of players in line to make their Test debut, with Asif Afridi, Faisal Akram, and Rohail Nazir all named in the squad to take on the reigning World Test Championship winners.
Pakistan will name their squad for the white-ball series that follows the Tests in due course.

Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Series schedule:
First Test: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, October 12-16
Second Test: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, October 20-24.