Pakistan began their series against Bangladesh on a disappointing note, suffering a loss in the first Test and marking their first defeat to Bangladesh in a Test match. With only one game left to redeem themselves and avoid a series loss, Pakistan must secure a victory to keep their hopes alive for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The second Test is scheduled to commence on August 30 in Rawalpindi, and Pakistan has made two significant additions to their squad in preparation.
In the initial Test, Pakistan played without a specialist spinner as Abrar Ahmed was released to represent Pakistan Shaheens in a match against Bangladesh A. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the recall of Abrar Ahmed, the young off-spinner, for the upcoming game.
Furthermore, Kamran Ghulam, a promising young batter, has also been brought back into the squad after being released alongside Abrar Ahmed for the Pakistan Shaheens. These strategic changes aim to bolster Pakistan's chances of securing a crucial victory in the second Test and turning the series in their favor.
"Abrar Ahmed and Kamran Ghulam have joined the Pakistan Test squad ahead of the second Test match against Bangladesh, scheduled to take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 30 August to 3 September," the PCB said in a statement.
Renowned fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was temporarily released from the Pakistan squad following the first Test match against Bangladesh to celebrate the birth of his son. He has since rejoined the squad and is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming second Test match as a key component of the playing XI.
Pakistan squad for 2nd Test
Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal (subject to fitness), Abrar Ahmed, Abdullah Shafique, 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.
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