Pakistan Set for Bangladesh Battle with New Faces and Experience Names
The national selectors have announced a 16-player Pakistan squad for the upcoming two-Test tour of Bangladesh, scheduled for next month. The series, which forms part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle, will begin with the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from 8 to 12 May. The second and final Test will be staged at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from 16 to 20 May.
Shan Masood will retain the captaincy of the red-ball side. The squad also features four players yet to make their Test debut – Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori.
A group of five players from the squad – Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan – are currently participating in a red-ball training camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
The team is set to gather in Karachi on 27 April for a preparatory camp, which will run until 1 May. The squad will then depart for Bangladesh on 2 May. Players involved in the ongoing HBL PSL XI will link up with the Test camp once their franchise commitments end, while those featuring in the final will travel directly after the tournament concludes.
For the Bangladesh tour, the Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as head coach of the red-ball setup. Sarfaraz, who led Pakistan to victory in the ICC U19 World Cup 2006 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, recently also played a mentoring role in Pakistan U19’s ACC U19 Asia Cup triumph and worked with Pakistan Shaheens against England Lions earlier this year.
He will be supported by former internationals Asad Shafiq as batting coach and Umar Gul as bowling coach. Asad enjoyed a long career across formats, accumulating over 6,000 international runs, while Umar Gul represented Pakistan in 237 matches, claiming 427 wickets.
Squad (16 players):
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, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Support staff:
Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Sarfaraz Ahmed (head coach), Asad Shafiq (batting coach), Umar Gul (bowling coach), Abdul Saad (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Lt. Col. (r) Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)
