Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its 17-member squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship series against Bangladesh. The first Test is set to commence at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from August 21-25, followed by the second Test at Karachi from August 30 to September 3.
Shan Masood will lead the squad, with Saud Shakeel appointed as vice-captain. This change is part of a strategic effort to manage the workload of Pakistan’s leading fast bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is being rested. This period from August 2024 to April 2025 will see Pakistan playing a packed schedule of nine Tests, 14 T20Is, and at least 17 ODIs.
The squad includes several new faces and returning players. Mohammad Huraira, Kamran Ghulam, and Mohammad Ali have been selected following their impressive performances in domestic cricket and with Pakistan Shaheens. Notably, Naseem Shah returns to the Test side after a 13-month absence.
Key selections:
- 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)
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
Notable omissions from the squad include Imam-ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan. These players have been dropped following varying levels of performance and injuries.
In addition, the Pakistan Shaheens squad has been announced for a four-day match against Bangladesh ‘A’, featuring several Test squad members. This match will serve as a preparatory fixture ahead of the Test series.
The training camp for the national team will begin on August 11 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, supervised by red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood. The Bangladesh team is expected to arrive in Islamabad on August 17 and will start their training session later that day.
The PCB has indicated that the revised schedule for the Pakistan Shaheens versus Bangladesh ‘A’ series will be announced soon.
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