Pakistan announced their 12-man squad for the upcoming second Test against Bangladesh on Thursday, August 29. In a significant decision, the team management opted to replace left-arm seamer Shaheen Afridi with wrist spinner Abrar Ahmed. Additionally, Mir Hamza has been included in the 12-man squad.
Afridi's performance in the first Test was not up to par, as he only managed figures of 2/88 in 30 overs. It is worth noting that Pakistan had relied on a four-pronged pace attack in the first Test, which included Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali. Consequently, the team found themselves depending on the part-time spin trio of Agha Salman, Saim Ayub, and Saud Shakeel.
However, the strategy proved to be unsuccessful as Bangladesh successfully secured a significant 117-run lead in the first innings, thanks to an impressive innings of 191 by Mushfiqur Rahim. Pakistan faced further challenges in their second innings, as they struggled against the spin duo of Shakib Al Hasan (3/44) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (4/21), who collectively took seven wickets and dismissed the hosts for a mere 146 runs.
Consequently, Pakistan set a modest target of only 30 runs for Bangladesh in the fourth innings, which they effortlessly achieved in just 6.3 overs, resulting in their historic first Test victory over their Asian rivals. In light of the lessons learned from the first Test, the team management decided to include wrist spinner Abrar Ahmed for the upcoming second Test.
Abrar Ahmed, a 25-year-old with 38 wickets in six matches at an average of 31.07 and an economy rate of 3.63, brings a promising record to the team. Additionally, Mir Hamza is being considered for a spot in the playing XI for the second Test, having taken nine wickets in five matches. However, it is unlikely that he will be selected, as the experienced seamers are expected to retain their positions.
The second Test is scheduled to take place on Friday, August 30 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. Pakistan is determined to avoid a disappointing 0-2 series loss against Bangladesh, who are eager to secure a historic series victory.
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