Babar Azam’s batting position for the first test against Bangladesh, set to being on 20th of August, has been changed, as per reports.
He is set to bat at the number four position in Pakistan’s first Test against Bangladesh, according to sources. The match, which will take place on home soil, will see Abdullah Shafiq continue his role as an opener, while captain Shan Masood will occupy the number three spot.
The sources also indicated that Muhammad Huraira is a strong contender to make his Test debut in this series. The two ICC World Test Championship matches between Pakistan and Bangladesh are scheduled to be held in Rawalpindi from August 21 to 25 and in Karachi from August 30 to September 3.
Given that the pitch for the first Test is expected to favor bowlers, the Pakistan team plans to field three fast bowlers and one spinner. The sources revealed that Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Mir Hamza are likely to be the chosen fast bowlers.
The Bangladesh men’s cricket team arrived in Lahore from Dhaka on August 13 to play the two-match Test series against Pakistan. The team was escorted to a private hotel under strict security measures upon their arrival at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore.
Squads:
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal (subject to fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mahmudullah, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed.
