Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test: 9:30am PKT Monday in Rawalpindi, squad and TV

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, starts on Monday 9 November at 9:30am PKT at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with Babar Azam leading a much-changed Pakistan side. The second and final Test is at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, from Tuesday 17 November, also at 9:30am PKT, Wisden reported.

Pak vs SL Test schedule in Pakistan time

Why this series matters for Pakistan

Pakistan come into the Tests on a high in white-ball cricket, having won the T20I series and the ODI tri-series that also involved England. In Tests the picture is very different: Pakistan have won 2 and lost 7 matches in the current World Test Championship cycle, while Sri Lanka have won 1, lost 2 and drawn 3 of their six.

That record explains the changes. Shan Masood, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan are all left out, and Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal, named earlier, have also been dropped. Tayyab Arif, Aamer Jamal, Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan come in. Mohammad Rizwan is not recalled despite a double century in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

Pakistan squad for the Sri Lanka Tests

Babar Azam (captain), Tayyab Arif, Aamer Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saud Shakeel, Saqib Khan.

Arafat Minhas is on the shortlist for the ICC Player of the Month award for October (our report). Sri Lanka are led by Kusal Mendis, who said on Sunday he had "no doubt" in his batting line-up, ESPNcricinfo reported; their squad and changes are in our Sri Lanka squad story.

How to watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka live in Pakistan

• TV: PTV Sports. See our guide to watching PTV Sports live.
• Online: the Tamasha and Tapmad apps. See how to watch on Tamasha.
• Live score: our cricket match centre carries the score through the day, alongside Pakistan U19's Asia Cup games in Oman.