Shakeel takes over as deputy from Shaheen Shah Afridi as “part of the selectors’ strategic decision” to manage Afridi’s workload across one of Pakistan’s busiest seasons in recent years. Between the end of August and start of April next year, Pakistan is scheduled to play nine Tests, 14 T20Is and, at least, 17 ODIs.
Ghulam, meanwhile, has hovered close to selection, without breaking through to the Test side. He was part of the squad for the home Tests against New Zealand in 2022-23. He has made his case stronger this time by amassing 1025 runs in 11 first-class matches in the 2023-24 season and also scoring 100 not out and 48 in three innings against Bangladesh A in Darwin last month. Mohammad Ali, a first recall since his debut against England in December 2022, is one of five specialist fast bowlers in the squad.
Hurraira, 22, is expected to open alongside Abdullah Shafique and ahead of Saim, who debuted in Sydney. Hurraira has been in irrepresible form recently, including a sparkling double hundred against Bangladesh A last month for the Shaheens. He is already averaging 56.24 in his first-class career and has scored nearly 2000 runs over the last two first-class seasons. He was part of the Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour in July 2023 but didn’t get a game when Pakistan won the series 2-0.
The Pakistan squad will start training in a camp from August 11 in Rawalpindi under Gillespie and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood, while the Bangladesh side will arrive in Islamabad on August 17. The two Tests, part of the World Test Championship, will be played from August 21 to 25 in Rawalpindi and August 30 to September 3 in Karachi.
Squad and revised dates for Pakistan Shaheen series
The selectors also named a Pakistan Shaheen squad for the first four-day game against Bangladesh A, for which revised dates were announced hours later.*
Given the political unrest and turmoil in Bangladesh, the BCB had to postpone their A team’s departure for Pakistan initially by 48 hours. On Wednesday afternoon, a PCB statement said: “The Bangladesh ‘A’ men’s cricket team will arrive in Islamabad on Saturday, 10 August, for two four-day and three 50-over matches against Pakistan Shaheens. The matches will be played at the Islamabad Club.”
The series was originally scheduled to begin on August 10. The first four-dayer will now begin on August 13, and the second on August 20, followed by the one-dayers on August 26, 28 and 30.
Shakeel will lead the Pakistan A side in the series. The squad includes Naseem, Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Hurraira, Saim Ayub and Sarfaraz Ahmed among others. The Shaheens will start training on Wednesday under head coach Umar Gul. Gillespie and Mahmood will assist Gul before moving to the national side’s camp.
Once the first four-day game is over, the eight Test probables will join the main Test squad and the selectors will name their replacements in the Shaheens squad for the remaining matches.
Pakistan Test squad for Bangladesh series
Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Aamer Jamal (subject to fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan Shaheen squad for the first game against Bangladesh A
Saud Shakeel (capt), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Mohammad Huraira, Naseem Shah, Saad Baig (wk), Saad Khan, Saim Ayub, Sameen Gul, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Umar Amin
This article was updated after the fresh dates for the Pakistan Shaheen series were announced.
