The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Wednesday that fast bowler Naseem Shah has rejoined the Pakistan Test team following a 13-month absence. The PCB also unveiled a 17-person squad for the two-match home series against Bangladesh.
Under the leadership of Shan Masood, Pakistan will play its first Test match against Bangladesh from August 21–25 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second match will take place in Karachi from August 30 to September 3.
Shaheen Shah Afridi has been replaced as Pakistan’s vice-captain by Saud Shakeel the selectors. Afridi’s workload will be managed by the selectors, according to PCB, over the course of a demanding schedule that runs through April of next year, when Pakistan will play nine Tests, fourteen T20Is, and at least seventeen ODIs.
The selection committee has called up Test players to the team in recognition of consistent domestic cricket performers, but pacer Aamer Jamal’s inclusion is contingent upon his fitness. After being included in the Test squad against New Zealand, Kamran Ghulam is back. Ghulam’s credentials for a Test debut are strengthened by his outstanding domestic form, which included 1025 runs in the 2023–2024 first-class season and a memorable showing against Bangladesh ‘A’.
Re-entering the team is fast bowler Muhammad Ali, who showed promise in the 2022–2023 season with 24 wickets and the 2023–2024 season with 47 wickets. His nine-wicket performance against Bangladesh A cemented his selection even more.
Muhammad Hurraira, a young batter who averages a remarkable 56.24 in first-class cricket, is also included in the team following an outstanding season that included him recently slamming a double century against Bangladesh ‘A’.
Imam-ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Imam-ul-Haq are notable players who have been left off the Test team. Hasan Ali and Mohammad Wasim have also been injured.
Head coach Jason Gillespie and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood will lead Pakistan through a training camp in Rawalpindi starting on August 11 as part of their preparations. On August 17, Bangladesh is scheduled to arrive in the nation to play in the Test series.
A Pakistan Shaheens squad has also been announced by the PCB for a four-day match against Bangladesh. A. With prominent players like Naseem, Ghulam, Hurraira, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Saim Ayub, and seasoned wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed in the lineup, Saud Shakeel will lead the team.
Head coach Umar Gul will begin training with the Shaheens, with Gillespie and Mahmood providing supplementary guidance. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had to postpone their A team’s trip to Pakistan by 48 hours due to political instability in Bangladesh.
A revised schedule for the Pakistan Shaheens-Bangladesh A series will soon be announced, according to a statement released by the PCB. They also mentioned that they are in continuous communication with the BCB.
Pakistan Test squad: Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal (subject to fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk) and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan Shaheen’s squad: Saud Shakeel (c), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Mohammad Hurraira, Naseem Shah, Saad Baig (wk), Saad Khan, Saim Ayub, Sameen Gul, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk) and Umar Amin.