Pak name squad for 2nd Test

Shaheen Afridi dropped, Abrar and Mir Hamza return

Pakistan has unveiled its twelve-member squad for the second Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to commence at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday, August 30.

Shan Masood will lead the team, marking his first home series as captain, with Saud Shakeel appointed as vice-captain.

The squad features the return of Abrar Ahmed and Mir Hamza in the announced lineup by the PCB. Shaheen Afridi is unavailable for the final clash against Bangladesh.

The visiting side secured a historic victory in the series opener, winning by 10 wickets and taking a 1-0 lead.

In a press conference today, Pakistan's white-ball captain, Jason Gillespie, shared insights into the selection process.

"Abrar Ahmed was included in the 12-member squad based on our assessment of the conditions. We have yet to see the pitch; we'll evaluate the conditions tomorrow morning," Gillespie explained.

Pakistan's twelve member squad for second Test: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (C), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Ali Agha, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Mir Hamza

Shaheen dropped

Pakistan's white-ball coach, Jason Gillespie, has explained why left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi was excluded from the lineup for the second Test against Bangladesh, which will commence on Friday, August 30, in Rawalpindi.

During a press conference held earlier today, Gillespie explained that Shaheen's absence from the upcoming match is a strategic decision made after careful consideration of various factors.

"Shaheen will sit out of this game. I had a good conversation with him, and he fully understands and appreciates the reasoning behind this decision. We're looking for the best combination for this game, and this is our direction. As I mentioned, we will assess the conditions in the morning and decide on the exact makeup of our bowling attack. Shaheen has received some feedback, and he's had an interesting couple of weeks—he's a new father, he's playing all three formats, and we're seeing an opportunity to allow him to spend time with his family as well," Gillespie said.

The former Australian legend further elaborated on the factors influencing the decision, highlighting both personal and professional considerations.

"He's working on a few aspects of his bowling to ensure he's as fit as possible. He's been collaborating well with Azhar Mahmood, which has been fantastic. We certainly want to see Shaheen at his best because we have a lot of cricket ahead in all formats, and he's going to play a big role in that. However, right now, we feel that we have all our bases covered for this particular game. But, make no mistake, Shaheen is a quality player and will play a significant role in the next 6-7 months," he said.

Gillespie also emphasised the importance of maintaining a positive approach under the leadership of captain Shan Masood.

"Shan is a very positive captain, and we want to play to win games of cricket. We showed our intent in the first game; we made the declaration because we wanted to get our opposition into bat. It obviously didn't quite work out, but full credit to our opposition—they played really well in that first Test match. However, we will look at ways to try and win the game, and that must be how we play. I am very confident that we will have a lot of success by always taking the positive option," he said.

Despite losing the series opener against Bangladesh, the Pakistan team coach remains optimistic about a positive turnaround, as the boys are well-prepared for the battle, having put the past defeat behind them.

"We are just going to go out there and give our best. We've prepared very well, although we couldn't do much training today or the day before yesterday because of the weather. However, we had a fantastic session yesterday. We are very disappointed to have lost the first Test, but we have reviewed it and moved on," he said.

"That game is gone, and there's nothing more we can do about it now. What we can do is focus on the game starting tomorrow, and that's where we've put our energy. We've learned our lessons and hopefully can apply those learnings in this game. The lads are up and about, excited for the challenge ahead. We know it's going to be tough, but we're up for the battle and are really looking forward to it," he added.

It is worth noting that Pakistan has announced a 12-member squad for the final Test clash against Bangladesh, with the playing XI set to be revealed just before the match.