Bangladesh cricket team reached Islamabad for the series of two test matches.
(Asghar Ali Mubarak).
Bangladesh cricket team has reached Islamabad. The first match of the two-Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket teams will be played from August 21 to 25 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.
The cricket teams of Pakistan and Bangladesh will participate in the training session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 2 pm today. Before the training, a player from Pakistan will hold a press conference.
It may be recalled that spinner Abrar Ahmed has been released from the Pakistan Test side and will now represent Pakistan Shaheens in the second four day match against Bangladesh A, which will begin on Tuesday, August 20 at the Islamabad Club.
The decision has been taken as the selectors have opted to go with an all-pace attack in the first Test of the ICC World Test Championship starting Wednesday, August 21, against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The selectors have included Abrar Ahmed in the Pakistan Shaheens squad instead of benching him for the Test so that he can get some match practice ahead of the second Test starting on August 30. Top-order batsman Kamran Ghulam is the other player who has been released from the Pakistan Test team and has been retained as the captain of the Pakistan Shaheens squad for the second four-day match.
It should be remembered that Saud Shakeel was the captain of Pakistan Shaheens in the first four-day match against Bangladesh A.
This means that the Pakistan Test squad will now consist of 15 players, but after the conclusion of the second four-day match, when Abrar Ahmed and Kamran Ghulam rejoin the squad for the second Test, it will be 17 players.
Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hurira, Naseem Shah, Saeem Ayub, Sarfraz Ahmed and Saud Shakeel who were part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad have now been included in the Test squad while Mohammad Rameez Jr. has been ruled out for the second four-day match.
For the second four-day match, Abrar Ahmed, Ali Zaryab, Owais Anwar, Imamul Haq, Niaz Khan, Qasim Akram, Rohail Nazir and Shiroon Siraj have been included in the Shaheens instead of these eight players.
In the Pakistan Shaheens squad for the second four day, Kamran Ghulam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ali Zaryab, Ghulam Mudassar, Imamul Haq, Mehran Mumtaz, Muhammad Owais Anwar, Niaz Khan, Qasim Akram, Rohail Nazir (wicket keeper) Saad Baig (wicket Keeper) includes Saad Khan, Sharon Siraj and Umar Amin.
