LAHORE – Pakistan Thursday announced their 12-player squad for the first Test against Bangladesh, which will be played at the Ch. Zahoor Ahmed Cricket Stadium, Chittagong from Friday. The match will start at 1000 local time.
Squad:
Babar Azam – Captain, Mohammad Rizwan – Vice captain (wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi
The second Test will commence from Saturday, 4 December at Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium Mirpur, Dhaka.
Pakistan beat Bangladesh by five wickets in the Twenty20 International to complete a 3-0 sweep in a three-match series in Dhaka on Monday.
Set 125 to win, Mohammad Nawaz sealed the contest with a boundary off the final delivery at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah Riyad (3-10) claimed three wickets in the final over. Haider Ali top-scored with 45 off 38 balls.
Mohammad Wasim (2-15) and Usman Qadir (2-35) earlier claimed two wickets each for Pakistan. Opener Mohammad Naim top-scored with 47 off 50 balls for Bangladesh while Shamim Hossain and Afif Hossain added 22 and 20 runs respectively.
Pakistan won the first two matches by four wickets and eight wickets respectively.
Earlier, Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat first. But they once again failed to post a big enough total to intimidate Pakistan. 127/7 in the tour opener and 108/7 in the second T20 International. And 124/7 today as Pakistan bowlers continued to produce the goods.
Debutant Shahnawaz Dahani takes a wicket in his first over, then Mohammad Wasim Jr and Usman Qadir got a brace each.
Opener Mohammad Naim top-scored for Bangladesh with a 50-ball 47. The two teams will now play a two-match Test series, starting November 26 in Chattogram.
The second Test in Dhaka starts December 4. The series is a part of the ICC World Test Championship. Catch highlights and cricket scores of BAN vs PAK third T20I.
Bangladesh have a lot of work to do. They have looked out of depth starting from the Super-12 stage of the T20 World Cup. Minus Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh have looked a house in despair and much below par. They have do a lot to repose the faith in their fans.
