New Delhi: The stage is set for the forthcoming two-match Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The first Test is scheduled to take place from May 8 to 12, and the second Test will follow from May 16 to 20.
The initial match will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, while the second Test is set for the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. In preparation for the series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 16-member squad for the tour.
Shan Masood will captain the Pakistan team, which features prominent players including Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Abbas, among others. The team is set to conduct a training camp in Karachi starting April 27 and will depart for Bangladesh on May 2. Players participating in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) are expected to join the squad shortly thereafter.
In addition to the squad announcement, the PCB has appointed former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as the new head coach for red-ball cricket. Asad Shafiq will serve as the batting coach, while Umar Gul takes on the role of bowling coach. These appointments come as Pakistan aims to enhance their performance after recent results and seek a positive outcome from the upcoming series in Bangladesh.
Pakistan’s squad for the Bangladesh series includes:
- Shan Masood (captain)
- Abdullah Fazal
- Amad Butt
- Azan Awais
- Babar Azam
- Hasan Ali
- Imam-ul-Haq
- Khurram Shahzad
- Mohammad Abbas
- Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper)
- Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper)
- Noman Ali
- Sajid Khan
- Salman Ali Agha
- Saud Shakeel
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
