Naseem back in Test squad, Saud named vice captain

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled a 17-member squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship series against Bangladesh, dropping many players including opener Imam-ul-Haq.

However, fast bowler Naseem Shah has been called in the team for the series. The two-match Test series is scheduled to commence on August 21 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, followed by the second Test in Karachi from August 30 to September 3.

Shan Masood will lead the squad while Saud Shakeel has been appointed as the new vice-captain of the Test side, replacing Shaheen Shah Afridi. The decision, according to the PCB, is part of a strategic move to manage Shaheen’s workload given Pakistan’s packed international schedule.

Imam-ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, who is reportedly injured, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr (injured), Noman Ali and Sajid Khan were the players who failed to retain their places in the Test side.

According to PCB, a number of uncapped players have earned their maiden call-ups to the Test squad, including Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Ali, and Mohammad Huraira. Meanwhile, pacer Naseem Shah makes a return to the Test format after a 13-month hiatus.

The Pakistan Test side will commence a training camp at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on August 11 under the supervision of head coach Jason Gillespie and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood. The Bangladesh team is expected to arrive in Islamabad on August 17 and begin their preparations on the same day.

The first Test will be held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 21-25 August, while the second Test will take place from 30 August-3 September in Karachi.

Of the 17 players picked for the first Test series of the 2024-25 season, 13 players were involved in Pakistan’s last series against Australia in December/January 2023-24. Mohammad Huraira, Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali have been rewarded for their consistent performances in the domestic circuit as well as for Pakistan Shaheens, while Naseem Shah is returning to the red-ball side after 13 months.

Kamran Ghulam aggregated 1,025 runs in 11 first-class matches in the 2023-24 season and then had scored 148 runs in three innings against Bangladesh ‘A’ in Darwin last month, including 100 not out in the first match. He was part of the squad for the home series against New Zealand in December/January 2022-23 but didn’t feature in the drawn two-match series.

Fast bowler Mohammad Ali has been recalled after last featuring in the opening two Tests against England in 2022. He took 24 wickets in six first-class matches in the 2022-23 season, followed by 47 wickets in 14 first-class matches in the 2023-24 season. In the two four-day matches against Bangladesh ‘A’ in Darwin, Ali took nine wickets, including six for 63 in the second innings of the second match.

Huraira stroked a sparkling double-century against Bangladesh ‘A’ in Darwin last month. He also had stellar last couple of first-class seasons. In the 2022-23 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Huraira was the only batter to break the 1,000-run barrier, aggregating 1,024 runs in 11 matches for Northern. In the 2023-24 first-class season, the 22-year-old right-hander scored 961 runs in 14 matches for the Faisalabad Region and Higher Education Commission (HEC). He was part of the squad for the tour to Sri Lanka in July 2023 but didn’t feature in the series, which Pakistan won by 2-0.

Imam-ul-Haq, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali (injured), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr (injured), Noman Ali and Sajid Khan were the players who failed to retain their places in the Test side.

Imam managed 57 runs in two Tests against Sri Lanka and then scored 94 runs in the Perth and Melbourne Tests. Faheem took one wicket in the Perth Test. Sajid claimed three wickets in the Sydney Test, while Nawaz and Noman didn’t play in any of the Tests.

Pakistan squad

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.