LAHORE: Talented young batsman Babar Azam is most likely to be retained when the national selection committee names the Pakistan squad for the Test series against the West Indies on Saturday.

Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, who is in Karachi, is likely to announce the squad for the three-match rubber.

The 21-year-old prolific Babar, who has so far amassed 886 runs in 18 ODIs with a very healthy average of 52.11, is very much expected to be selected in place of seasoned batsman Younis Khan, who is currently recovering from dengue fever.

Right-handed Babar, who made ODI debut last year against Zimbabwe in Lahore, stole the limelight in the just-concluded ODI series against the West Indies in the UAE where he smashed three consecutive centuries in Pakistan’s 3-0 series sweep against the Caribbean side, and was duly given the man-of-the-series award.

The first Test, a day-night affair, between Pakistan and the West Indies will be staged from Oct 13-17 in Dubai.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2016