The second Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, set to begin on August 30 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, will take place without pacer Shaheen Afridi. This decision was announced by Pakistan’s team management, with the exclusion of Shaheen revealed by head coach Jason Gillespie during a press conference where the 12-member squad was disclosed on Thursday.
It was emphasized that Shaheen Afridi, who has taken only 16 wickets in 10 innings since returning from a knee injury in July 2023, is currently focusing on improving his bowling technique. Jason Gillespie mentioned that the star pacer, who recently became a father, needs time to spend with his family and manage his workload, as he is actively participating in all three formats of the game for Pakistan.
This change in the squad comes as Pakistan, under the leadership of Shan Masood, aims to bounce back after a disappointing loss in the first Test. In that match, the team struggled significantly, especially in the second innings, where they were bowled out for just 146 runs. Bangladesh, capitalizing on this, comfortably chased the 30-run target in only 6.3 overs, securing their first-ever Test victory against Pakistan.
To fill the gap left by Shaheen, the selectors have included spinner Abrar Ahmed and left-arm pacer Mir Hamza in the squad. The adjustments are seen as a strategic move to strengthen the team’s bowling options for the upcoming Test.
As the team prepares for the second match, the focus remains on overcoming the challenges faced in the first Test and striving for a series-leveling victory.
12-Member Squad:
- Shan Masood (c)
- Saud Shakeel (vc)
- Abrar Ahmed
- Mohammad Ali
- Salman Ali Agha
- Saim Ayub
- Babar Azam
- Mir Hamza
- Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
- Abdullah Shafique
- Naseem Shah
- Khurram Shehzad
