RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday unveiled Pakistan’s playing XI for the first Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to begin on August 21 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Left-handed batter Shan Masood will captain green shirts with additional support from middle-order batter Saud Shakeel, who will act as vice-captain of the team.
Joining Masood and Shakeel, Openor Abdullah Shafqiur and Saim Ayub will provide an early start to the batting lineup. Skipper Shan Masood will play one down and star batter Babar Azam will follow him. Vice-skipper Saud Shakeel and wicketkeeper Muhammad Rizwan along with all-rounder sole spinner of the team Salman Ali Agha will strengthen the host’s middle order.
Green Shirts will land in the middle with the fierce bowling attack comprising pace ace Shaheen Shah Afirid, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali, and rising star Khurram Shahzad.
It is pertinent to mention that it will be the first game for Jason Gillespie as the head coach of the Pakistan cricket team.
Earlier, Right-arm fast bowler Aamir Jamal was released from the Test squad as he is recovering from a back injury that he sustained while playing county cricket this year.
“Aamir, who was earlier included in the squad subject to fitness clearance, has been advised to work on his fitness at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore,” PCB said in a statement on Monday.
Pakistan’s Playing XI
Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali, Khurram Shahzad
