Home » Pakistan announce playing XI for 1st Test against Bangladesh

Pakistan announce playing XI for 1st Test against Bangladesh

by Cricketbeing
Pakistan Test team

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday, August 20, announced the Playing XI for the first Test match against Bangladesh. The first Test will begin on August 21 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. 

The lineup for the first Test has four fast bowlers given that the stadium in Rawalpindi will assist the pacers more. Pakistan’s ace speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the pace attack which includes the likes of Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali, and Khurram Shahzad. This will mark Shan Masood’s first home Test series as Pakistan skipper. Middle-order batter Saud Shakeel will be serving as his deputy in the upcoming series.

The second Test between both sides is scheduled to be held in Rawalpindi from August 30. Earlier, the second Test was scheduled to take place at the National Stadium in Karachi. However, the venue was changed because of the renovation work at Karachi stadium.

Notably, this two-match Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh is part of the World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. Pakistan are currently placed sixth while Bangladesh is eighth among nine teams.

Masood denied the notion that Bangladesh is poorly prepared for the Test series. He also emphasized that Bangladesh boasts quality players in every department and his side holds great respect for the challenges they bring.

“You expect all international Test sides to come into a series well prepared and trying to play their best cricket. Bangladesh is a side that has quality players in all departments and we highly respect the challenges they bring as a side to us,” Masood told AFP.

The opening Test will mark Jason Gillespie’s first assignment as head coach of the Pakistan cricket team. The Pakistan captain believes his team will demonstrate improvement under the new coach.

“We are excited to see how they (coaches) help us to be better people, better cricketers and — most importantly — be among the top teams in the world,” the 34-year-old added.

In addition, Pakistan and Bangladesh have so far played a total of 13 Tests against each other. In this, Pakistan held the upper hand as they won 12, and one of the matches ended in a draw. Since Bangladesh hasn’t won any Test match against Pakistan, they will seek a victory this time.

Pakistan Playing XI against Bangladesh

Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (C), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (VC), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali

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