The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has revealed a 17-member squad for the forthcoming ICC World Test Championship series against Bangladesh. A notable change was when Saud Shakeel replaced Shaheen Shah Afridi as vice-captain.
The first Test will occur at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from August 21 to 25, followed by the second Test in Karachi from August 30 to September 3.
The national team’s training camp starts on August 11 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, led by red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood. The Bangladesh team will arrive in Islamabad on August 17 and have a training session later that day.
Shan Masood will captain the squad, with Saud Shakeel stepping in as vice-captain. This judgment is part of a strategy to manage Afridi’s workload as Pakistan gears up for a packed schedule, including nine Tests, 14 T20Is, and at least 17 ODIs from August 21, 2024, to April 5, 2025.
Of the 17 players selected, 13 were part of the squad that faced Australia in the previous series. Mohammad Huraira, Kamran Ghulam, and Mohammad Ali have been included based on their strong domestic performances, and Naseem Shah returns to the Test side after a 13-month absence.
Squad:
- Shan Masood (captain)
- Saud Shakeel (vice-captain)
- Aamir Jamal (subject to fitness)
- Abdullah Shafique
- Abrar Ahmed
- Babar Azam
- Kamran Ghulam
- Khurram Shahzad
- Mir Hamza
- Mohammad Ali
- Mohammad Huraira
- Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper)
- Naseem Shah
- Saim Ayub
- Salman Ali Agha
- Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper)
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
