Pakistan Cricket Board Unveils Squad for Upcoming Test Series Against Bangladesh
Pakistan's Test Squad Announced
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially revealed a 16-member squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh, commencing on May 8 in Dhaka. Shan Masood has been appointed as the captain of the Test team, which includes four uncapped players: Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, according to a statement from the PCB.
Test Series Schedule
The first Test match, part of the ICC World Test Championship, is set to take place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from May 8 to 12. Following this, the second Test will be held at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from May 16 to 20.
Training Camp Details
Five players from the announced squad, namely Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan, are currently engaged in a red-ball camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. The squad will reconvene in Karachi for another training camp starting April 27, which will continue until May 1. The team is scheduled to depart for Bangladesh on May 2. Players participating in the ongoing Pakistan Super League will join the camp once their teams conclude their campaigns, with those advancing to the finals traveling to Bangladesh after the tournament.
Coaching Staff for the Bangladesh Tour
The PCB has also appointed the red-ball coaching staff for the Bangladesh tour, with former Test captain Sarfaraz Ahmed taking the role of head coach. Sarfaraz has a notable history, having led Pakistan to two ICC titles: the ICC U19 World Cup in 2006 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. He recently mentored the Pakistan U19 team to victory in the ACC Men's U19 Asia Cup in December.
Former Test players Asad Shafiq and Umar Gul will serve as batting and bowling coaches, respectively. Asad has played 147 international matches, scoring 6,188 runs, including 12 centuries and 36 half-centuries. Umar, a right-arm fast bowler, has participated in 237 international matches, taking 427 wickets.
Complete Pakistan Test Squad
The full squad for the Test series against Bangladesh includes: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.