Pakistan announces 17-men squad for two Tests against Bangladesh

Pakistan is set to welcome Bangladesh for a Test series on August 21. On Wednesday, August 07, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a 17-member squad for the home series, and the team will be captained by Shan Masood. Top-order batter Saud Shakeel has been announced as Masood’s deputy for the upcoming series, while Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan are the two wicketkeeping options for the Asian giants.

Notably, the series will begin with the first Test scheduled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second and final game for the tour will be played at the National Stadium, Karachi from August 30. The series is a part of the World Test Championship Cycle 2023-25.

Speaking more of the squad, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi are among the notable inclusions in the pace bowling unit for the couple of Tests. It is noteworthy to mention that the decision to replace Shaheen with Shakeel as the team’s vice-captain was a strategic decision, as revealed by the PCB release.

Although the hosts have named their combination for the series, the visitors’ travel to Pakistan remains uncertain, mostly because of the political unrest back home, where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to leave the country. In the days to come, there will be more clarity on the situation, but for now, there remains a strict possibility of the tour being rescheduled concerning venues or dates.

Pakistan 17-member for two Tests vs Bangladesh 2024:

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) and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pakistan vs Bangladesh schedule: