Naseem Shah returns to Test as Pakistan announces squad for home series against Bangladesh
Pacer Naseem Shah will return to the Test side for the home series against Bangladesh after 13 months on the sidelines due to a shoulder injury, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a press release on Wednesday.
Naseem was ruled out of the Asia Cup after suffering the injury during a tournament match against India in Colombo last year.
The pacer subsequently missed the World Cup for the Green Shirts.
Today, the PCB announced a 17-member Test squad for Bangladesh’s visit to Pakistan for a two-match series starting from August 21.
The first Test will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from August 21-25, while the second will be held in Karachi from August 30 to September 3, the PCB press release said.
It said that Pakistan’s training camp — under the supervision of red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood — will commence at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on August 11.
The Bangladesh cricket team is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad in the wee hours of August 17 and is expected to train in the same afternoon, it added.
Shan Masood will continue to lead the side while left-handed middle-order batter Saud Shakee was appointed as vice-captain, replacing ace pace Shaheen Shah Afridi.
“Saud takes over from Shaheen Shah Afridi as part of the selectors’ strategic decision that is aimed at managing Pakistan’s lead fast bowler’s workload management during the period […] in which Pakistan is scheduled to play nine Tests, 14 T20Is and, at least, 17 ODIs,” it said.
Mohammad Huraira, Kamran Ghulam, and Mohammad Ali were new entrants into the squad and were selected for their consistent performances in the domestic circuit as well as for Pakistan Shaheens.
Naseem Shah also returned to the side after 13 months on the sidelines due to a shoulder injury.
Opener Imamul Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan failed to retain their places in the side, it added.
PCB ‘optimistic’ about hosting Bangladesh
Pakistan are “optimistic” about hosting Bangladesh for their Test series this month, a source close to the cricket board said.
The second tier team, known as the “A team”, were due to arrive in Islamabad on Tuesday but pushed back their schedule to Saturday.
“The PCB is proceeding with the plans and optimistic that the Test series will go ahead as scheduled,” a source close to the PCB said, asking not to be named.
The PCB said it had contacted the Bangladesh Cricket Board and a revised schedule of the Shaheens versus Bangladesh ‘A’ would be announced.
Shakeel was also given the responsibility to lead the Shaheens in the match against Bangladesh ‘A’.
Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, 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
With input from AFP.