Shoaib Malik breaks into Test squad after five years

E-Paper | July 25, 2026

All-rounder Shoaib Malik's fine form in ODIs and T20s has earned him a call-up to the Test side for Pakistan's upcoming series against England, chief selector Haroon Rashid announced on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old Malik, who last played Test cricket in 2010, incidentally against the same opponents, has scored 500 runs with a century and three fifties at an average of 100 in 11 ODI innings in 2015.

The former captain has also turned his arm over regularly during this period, bowling a total of 47 overs. And though his returns have been a modest six wickets, it is understood he has been included in the Test side keeping in mind England's slew of left-handed batsmen and the absence of Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez as the team's regular off spinners.

According to Rashid, manager Intikhab Alam had made the recommendation to include Malik in the Test squad in consultation with head coach Waqar Younis after the Zimbabwe ODIs.

“Following Intikhab Alam’s request, I spoke with my fellow selectors and there was unanimity over retaining Malik keeping in mind his current batting form and the off-spin bowling option that could be handy in the all-important forthcoming Test series against England,” Rashid said.

Pakistan will be playing three Tests, four ODIs and 3 T20s against England in the UAE. The tour kicks off on October 13.

Itinerary for Pakistan-England series:

Oct. 13-17: First Test at Abu Dhabi

Oct. 22-26: Second Test at Dubai

Nov. 1-5: Third Test at Sharjah

Nov. 11: First ODI at Abu Dhabi

Nov. 13: Second ODI at Abu Dhabi

Nov. 17: Third ODI at Sharjah

Nov. 20: Fourth ODI at Dubai

Nov. 26: First T20 at Dubai

Nov. 27: Second T20 at Dubai

Nov. 30: Third T20 at Sharjah

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saj

Oct 06, 2015 02:10pm

He certainly has done well. Selection on Merit only. Hope he can carry his form into the England series in all forms.

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Osama Shafeeqe

Oct 06, 2015 02:11pm

Great decision! Malik is in the form of his life and now they can finally take out Hafeez. Just hope that players like Haris Sohail and Fawad Alam get a chance as well, their domestic records are incredible.

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M.Saeed

Oct 06, 2015 02:22pm

Good. There is no short-cut to an experience.

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Oct 06, 2015 02:24pm

He was always good. Badly treated by selectors !

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Zeeshan Arshad

Oct 06, 2015 02:25pm

Iam very concerned about the test match form for Malik. I have been his fan ever since he burst onto cricket and always thought he should bat in top 3 for ODI's and T20s however if the team has selected him in the test , his batting has not been very convincing and neither is his offspin. However hope he clicks.

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M. Saeed Awan

Oct 06, 2015 02:27pm

First time without SIFARISH.

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Imtiaz

Oct 06, 2015 02:32pm

He did work hard to get back into the team after being discarded. An average of 100 in 2015 speaks for itself.

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Indian

Oct 06, 2015 02:39pm

This can happen only in Pakistan. Person who were not deserving his place in team few moth back, now in test team and after few days i bet he will be captain of team. He is good all-rounder but he needs to be prove it consistently. Over smart, over ambitious Hafeez needs to be thrown out.

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MerajuL

Oct 06, 2015 02:44pm

Good

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umair

Oct 06, 2015 02:51pm

@Indian The same person has now earned his place by performing in the shorter format. There might be many things wrong with Pakistan Cricket but this time selection of Malik is not one of them

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Ahmed A.

Oct 06, 2015 02:55pm

@ak: Badly treated by selectors ? barring last one year, they kept on playing him for four years without any returns. To me he is one of the bigger parcheees like Kakmal, Farhat, Amin etc etc

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Rashid Ishaq

Oct 06, 2015 03:19pm

Bhabi Sania, hope you are happy that Pakistan is selecting players on merit

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A. Ali

Oct 06, 2015 03:24pm

funny, if Shoaib can be selected in tests merely based on his good performance in T20 and ODIs.... why can't Haroon select Amir in test based on his performance in T20, 40 overs and 3 days matches ?.

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Armughan

Oct 06, 2015 03:36pm

Do not agree with this selection. Even though he has gotten a good form, his skills against the swinging ball are suspect. The test team too is well settled and why fix something that is not broken. Besides Malik has always been a "political figure" in the team. Better option to keep him in the limited overs plans only.

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Shoaib

Oct 06, 2015 03:45pm

@A. Ali two very different cases. Malik's return has been miraculous and he saved Pak's skin on numerous occasions. The suspension of Hafeez's bowling adds further utility to what Malik brings to the table. Amir is tainted. Yes, he pleaded guilty and served the sentence, but tainted he is nonetheless. Sohail Khan and Imran Khan are the other two who deserve more than Amir. Talent cannot be the sole criterion; fair play needs to be one of many.

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Abdullah

Oct 06, 2015 04:26pm

That's the way it should be. You work hard and perform well, your are in. If you don't, you are out.

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Muqtadar

Oct 06, 2015 04:46pm

Too many failures by Shoaib at the test level and he tends to play a divisive role.

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Ample reverence 4 KSA & Pak Army

Oct 06, 2015 04:54pm

I wanted to see him as captain of national team since over decade but unfortunately...............now he proved again his worth and the only technically solid match-winner batsman among present side who have been victimized by Hafeez and Misbah lobby. A much better player than Hafeez who swallowed his place in past.

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Jack

Oct 06, 2015 05:07pm

Yes Shoaib is in form and doing a good job on ODIs and T-20s. I don't think it is a good idea to have him play in all three formats. We have enough test players for one. Secondly, I rather have him perform well in ODIs and T-20s. We should give our players some rest and not burn them out. Let Mishab, coach and team manager decide the test team. And please make sure you rest Mohammod Irfan periodically, he is a good bowler and is lethal but only if you don't over work him.

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Waseem Sarwar

Oct 06, 2015 05:10pm

@Indian , you shouldn't be worried about Malik or Pakistan. Go take care of your bottle throwing angry fans. 92 all out. :D

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Tahir A

Oct 06, 2015 05:54pm

Well done. Clearly a bumper year financially for him and her. All the best.

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ANSER AZIM

Oct 06, 2015 06:00pm

selections are based on merit and justice. selectors and coaches are the judges and the public should have faith in them. This is how system works. well done shoeb to earn your place back in the test squad...best wishes

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PapaTango

Oct 06, 2015 06:30pm

"Performing" in Zimbabwe on wickets deader than the future of world cricket is considered good enough to get into a test side? Okay then. But what do I know? I am just a gardener.

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Sarah

Oct 06, 2015 06:34pm

Malik is one of the best form of his life at right time when Pakistan needed it.Keep up the good work on the field.

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Sarah

Oct 06, 2015 06:38pm

@Waseem Sarwar Team which score just 92 in modern day claim themselves to be TITANS and there players laugh while there country loses,it happens only in India

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Saeed Masood

Oct 06, 2015 07:03pm

Right now with Malik's performance he is capable to prove his worth in Test cricket... Pakistan must stay focused and whitewash England Inshahallah.

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Shikoh

Oct 06, 2015 07:04pm

He is a genuine talent. With his sheer talent, he should have acquired the status of a legend by now. PCB over the years has been worst at handling the outstanding talents. First it was Shoaib Akhtar, and now it is Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal.

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Mansoor Ali Khan

Oct 06, 2015 07:16pm

Our test batting has been solid therefore I think it is a step back; especially if Asad Shafiq ends up losing his spot to Malik. Lets not forget that since his come back Malik has only scored those runs against weak bowling line ups like Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

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Parchee Breaker

Oct 06, 2015 07:25pm

@Shikoh: You think Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik deserved to be in Pakistan test team ? Look at their records, even in ODI's. In case of Malik only, in recent times only he has repaid some faith shown in him by selectors. Umar Akmal is a loser of highest order - having wasted his talent because of his low IQ mind, zero mental strength and bad politics. Similarly Malik has played a lot of politics and his technique against fast bowling is quite bad. His record in first class is also not impressive. Asad Shafique and Fawad Alam suited for tests while Malik and Umar Akmal are okay for limited overs cricket (for now only). And both malik and akmal brothers should abstain from plotting against sitting captains !!!

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Syed Rizvi

Oct 06, 2015 07:41pm

Good luck for Pakistan if he does what he has been doing in ODI and T20.

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JAVED KHAN

Oct 06, 2015 08:05pm

Scoring against opposition like zimbabwe doesn't count for anything. One thing is for sure, he is liked by the management because of his good links with the bookies. He is not going to do good against England but will help the management in earning some dirty money. He will bring back the culture of disunity in the team. I bet, he is going to be the next captain even if he does a modest job.

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NASR

Oct 06, 2015 08:09pm

I doubt that he will be the same against England

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Arvind Ajimal

Oct 06, 2015 08:44pm

With Mrs Shoaib Malik winning tournaments after tournaments this year, How could Mr. Malik be far behind. He had to catch up, in his own field, though.

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anony

Oct 06, 2015 08:55pm

Although I'm not a huge fan of Shoaib Malik, I have to agree that this man has made it to the team purely on merit. He has performed exceptionally well recently. Well done Shoaib.

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optimist

Oct 06, 2015 08:56pm

It is strange that Waqar Younus kept Shoaib Malik out of the 2003 WC when he was in prime form.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 06, 2015 10:36pm

Welcome back.

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Raaz

Oct 06, 2015 11:01pm

Now this is the way to get back into the team - Performance, keep up the good work Shoaib Malik, all others please learn how to get in the team. Selectors- as Shoaib got in through his performance please do the opposite for people that are not performing.

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Sarah

Oct 06, 2015 11:25pm

@Zeeshan Arshad Even after scoring so consistently and getting Man of Series awards each time he has played for Pakistan,he doesn't need to improve anything,he has already arrived there to serve Pakistan for long time.

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malick

Oct 07, 2015 01:50am

He deserve, he worked and got his place.

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Akash

Oct 07, 2015 05:23am

I've not followed recent Pak matches. I always remebered him as a "recommendation" candidate past few years but comments here suggest he did well , can anyone share how well he did in recent past?

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Mehroz

Oct 07, 2015 09:22am

Malik!! deserves this, he works very hard first in domestic level and then prove himself in international cricket as well

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C.K.

Oct 07, 2015 10:05am

Congratulations to India's Son in Law !!

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rao abid

Oct 07, 2015 10:32am

it is a great decision for pakistan cricket.misbah is not interesting to play cricket.shoaib malik is a big option for captaincy.

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Sherry

Oct 07, 2015 10:45am

@Parchee Breaker you need to first check records of any player before writing these many useless and baseless sentences. Once you do that you will find lot of contradictions in your writeup. Bro do the research first and then write sensible if you want anyone to read you and more importantly respect your content.

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Hyder

Oct 07, 2015 10:42pm

Sir Since the return of Intikhab Alam in managerial role one can expect such out dated and weird decision. The dinosaurs are history but the dinosaurs of Pakistani cricket like Intikhab Alam are here to stay!!! Regards

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Ray

Oct 08, 2015 03:15pm

He has scored only against Zimbabwe and the weakest Sri Lanka team in years. They avoided playing him against good opposition and made sure he gets to bat against the weakest teams - plan has worked! Good luck against decent opposition for this politician.

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