The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the 12-member squad for the second Test against Bangladesh, set to begin on August 30 at Rawalpindi. Shan Masood will continue to captain the side, with Saud Shakeel as his vice-captain. The team features the return of a quality leg-spinner and a left-arm pacer, as Pakistan seeks to build on their performance from the first Test.

Shaheen Afridi misses out, strategic decision cited

One of the most notable absentees from the squad is senior pacer Shaheen Afridi. The left-arm pacer, who struggled for form in the first Test with only two wickets to his name, has been left out of the 12-member unit. His exclusion has sparked discussions, given his stature as Pakistan’s premier fast bowler.

Pakistan’s white-ball coach Jason Gillespie addressed the decision in a press conference, explaining that Afridi’s absence was part of a broader strategic plan. He also noted that Afridi has had a ‘challenging couple of weeks,’ including the joy of becoming a new father, and the team management has decided to give him some time off to spend with his family. Gillespie emphasized that the decision was based on the conditions they expect to encounter in Rawalpindi.

“Shaheen will sit out of this game. I had a good conversation with him, and he fully understands and appreciates the reasoning behind this decision. We’re looking for the best combination for this game. As I mentioned, we will assess the conditions in the morning and decide on the exact makeup of our bowling attack,” said Gillespie in a presser.

Also READ: Kevin Pietersen blasts Pakistan after devastating loss to Bangladesh in the 1st Test

Abrar Ahmed and Mir Hamza return

The return of Abrar Ahmed and Mir Hamza is another significant change in the squad. Abrar, who was included based on the team’s assessment of the conditions, is expected to play a key role with his spin bowling. Mir Hamza’s inclusion provides an additional left-arm pace option in the absence of Shaheen Afridi.

“Abrar Ahmed was included in the 12-member squad based on our assessment of the conditions. We have yet to see the pitch; we’ll evaluate the conditions tomorrow morning,” added Gillespie.

Pakistan’s 12-member unit for the second Test:

Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.

Also READ: Ahmad Shahzad blames PCB for Pakistan’s embarrassing 10-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in the first Test

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