Cricket Pakistan has named a 17-member squad for the two-match test series against Bangladesh which is set to begin later this month. Naseem Shah who hasn’t featured in tests for more than a year, has been included in the squad.
Naseem’s recall comes after recent injury troubles and is one of two key decisions taken by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s national selectors. On the other hand, Saud Shakeel has been named as the vice-captain.
Shakeel taking over the leadership role is part of the selectors’ strategic decision to manage the lead left-arm pacer’s workload in the coming calendar year which has Pakistan including nine tests, 14 T20I, and 17 ODIs.
🚨 Pakistan squad for Bangladesh Tests and Shaheens side for first four-day against Bangladesh A announced 🚨
More details ➡️ https://t.co/IIKz5hxGJA
Pakistan men’s international 2024-25 season schedule 👉 https://t.co/H1nrxE5EQR#PAKvBAN pic.twitter.com/TLgyB4ajfB
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 7, 2024
Aamer Jamal is one of the players included in the Pakistan Test tour of Australia earlier this year with being subjected to proving a fast bowler. 13 members of that squad has been retained their places in the squad, Imam-ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan are the ones who failed to cut the previous assignment.
The selectors decided to earn call-ups to batter Kamran Ghulam, fast bowler Mohammad Ali, and batter Mohammad Hurraira as a reward for their performance in domestic cricket.
Ghulam has amassed 1025 runs in 11 first-class matches in the 2023-24 season. He was part of the squad for the home series against New Zealand in 2022-23 but didn’t feature in the drawn two-match series.
Mohammad Ali has been recalled after last featuring in the opening two tests against England in 2022. He picked 24 wickets in six FC matches in the 2022-23 season, and 47 wickets in 14 FC in the 2023-24 season.
Huraira hit a double century against Bangladesh A in Darwin last month and has been in stellar form on the domestic circuit. In the 2022-23 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, he was the only batter to breach the 1000-run mark.
He also amassed 961 runs in the 2023-24 season, however, he did not play in the Playing 11 against Sri Lanka tour last year. Pakistan squad will assemble in Rawalpindi for a training camp along with Jason Gillespie and Azhar Mahmood. The two tests which are a part of the WTC cycle will be played in Rawalpindi starting on 21 and in Karachi (from August 30).
Pakistan squad for Bangladesh Tests: 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 Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Afridi
