Rawalpindi : August 19,2024 : An 11-member Pakistan cricket team has been announced for the first test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. The first test will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from Wednesday, August 21. In the Test series, Shan Masood is facing the challenge of maintaining the glory of the country and the nation. Pakistan have to maintain their unbeaten record in the Test series against Bangladesh. Pakistan has played 13 Tests against Bangladesh, winning 12 and drawing one. He is expected to maintain Pakistan’s unbeaten record against Bangladesh. Bangladesh, who have never beaten Pakistan in any Test, Shaan Masood will lead the team in a home series for the first time. Shaun Masood made his debut as captain in Australia eight months ago. Australia swept Pakistan by winning all three Tests of the series.
Shaan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafiq Babar Azam,Khurram Shehzad. Muhammad Ali. Mohammad Rizwan (wicket keeper) Naseem Shah. Saim Ayub Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi are in the 11-member Pakistani cricket team for the first test.
Pakistan team will field with a combination of four fast bowlers. After the clean sweep defeat by Australia, Shaan Masood has been given the chance to captain once again.
This test series is a part of ICC World Test Championship 2025. Pakistan Cricket Board has shifted the second test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh from Karachi to Rawalpindi, now both the test matches will be played in Rawalpindi. The first test will be played from August 21 to 25. While the second Test will be played from August 30 to September 3. Bangladesh is led by Najam Hussain Shinto while the other players in the team include Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Tejul Islam, Laton Kumar Das and Mehdi Hasan Mirza.
It is expected that Shaan Masood will perform well as both captain and batsman in the home series this time and will increase the glory of the country and the nation by maintaining Pakistan’s unbeaten record in Test cricket against Bangladesh. In an interview at Pindi Stadium, he said that Shaheen Afridi played the first 2 Test matches in the tour of Australia, but we had to rest him in the third match because he had to play the T20 World Cup and the series against New Zealand. There are 6 very talented pacers in the current squad, each with the ability to offer something unique to the team and may all play together. If we feel that it is necessary to rest our premier bowler, then because of these pacers we will be in a position to take a timely decision.
A strong performance in the home series is crucial for Pakistan to maintain its chances of reaching the World Test Championship 2025 final. Star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi is on the verge of making history as the first Pakistani bowler to take 100 wickets in the World Test Championship.
Shaheen Afridi, who will lead Pakistan’s pace attack in the series, currently has 91 wickets in 24 Test matches. He needs only 9 wickets in the upcoming matches to join the elite group of bowlers. So far, 11 bowlers have crossed the 100-wicket mark in the World Test Championship, including 3 Indian bowlers Ravi Ashwin (174), Jasprit Bumrah (110) and Ravindra Jadeja (102).
Four Australian bowlers Nathan Lyon (187), Pete Cummins (175), Mitchell Starc (147) and Josh Hazlewood (109) have also achieved this milestone. Shaheen Afridi leads the list for Pakistan, followed by Naseem Shah with 51 wickets. Naseem Shah, who suffered an injury against India in Asia Cup 2023, last played a Test match against Sri Lanka in July 2023.
The Test series against Bangladesh is also an important opportunity for Pakistan captain Shaun Masood and vice-captain Saud Shakeel to reach 1000 runs in the World Test Championship. Shaan Masood was appointed Test captain after Babar Azam’s resignation, he scored 985 runs in 18 matches. Newly appointed vice-captain Saud Shakeel has also scored 967 runs in 10 Test matches so far.
