Pace-heavy 17-member Squad Announced For Test Series Against Bangladesh

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Men’s selection committee Wednesday announced a 17-member squad including six pace bowlers including Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, Aamer Jamal, Mir Hamzad and Muhammad Ali to face Bangladesh in the two-test rubber from August 21 to September 3

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Aug, 2024) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Men’s selection committee Wednesday announced a 17-member squad including six pace bowlers including Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, Aamer Jamal, Mir Hamzad and Muhammad Ali to face Bangladesh in the two-test rubber from August 21 to September 3.

With the inclusion of only one specialist spinner Abrar Ahmed in the squad, one could expect pace-friendly pitches during the series and the appointment of Australian Tony Hemming as chief curator by the PCB, the will feast on competitive cricket.

Replacing Shaheen Shah Afridi as the vice-captain of the test team, the selection committee named Saud Shakeel as the vice-captain of the Men’s test side. Handing over the mantle of vice captaincy from Shaheen Shah Afridi to Saud takes is part of the selectors’ strategic decision aimed at managing Pakistan’s lead fast bowler’s workload management during the period from 21 August 2024 to 5 April 2025 in which Pakistan is scheduled to play nine Tests, 14 T20Is and, at least, 17 ODIs.

Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Huraira have been called up to the squad for impressive domestic performances and excellent performance for the Shaheens in the recently concluded series against Bangladesh I Australia.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah has made a come back after almost a year in the wilderness due to injury while seven players including Imam-ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali (injured), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr (injured), Noman Ali and Sajid Khan lost their places in the side due to poor performance or injury.

Bangladesh are due to arrive in Islamabad on 17 August for the ICC World Test Championships matches in Rawalpindi and Karachi from 21 August to 3 September. The first Test will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 21-25 August, while the second Test will be held from 30 August-3 September in Karachi.

Pakistan Red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood will supervise the training camp at Rawalpindi cricket stadium from August 11. The Bangladesh cricket team is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad in the wee hours of 17 August and expected to train in the same afternoon.

PAKISTAN SQUAD (ICC World Test Championship vs Bangladesh)

Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal (subject to Fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper) and Shaheen Shah Afridi

The 17-member Test squad will be led by Shan Masood, while left-handed middle-order batter Saud Shakeel has been appointed as vice-captain.

Of the 17 players picked for the first Test series of the 2024-25 season, 13 players were involved in Pakistan’s last series against Australia in December/January 2023-24. Mohammad Huraira, Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali have been rewarded for their consistent performances in the domestic circuit as well as for Pakistan Shaheens, while Naseem Shah is returning to the red-ball side after 13 months.