Pakistan have left Shaheen Shah Afridi out of their 12-member squad for the second Test match against Bangladesh.
At Rawalpindi earlier this week, Pakistan lost a Test match against Bangladesh for the first time. In fact, Bangladesh became the first team to beat Pakistan by 10 wickets in Pakistan. The result predictably drew criticism from all corners, from PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi to former cricketers to fans.
A day before the second Test of the two-match series, at the same venue from August 30, Pakistan named a 12-member squad for the game. The most prominent omission was of Shaheen Shah Afridi. In the first Test, Shaheen claimed two tail-enders’ wickets in the first innings and none in the second to return match figures of 2-96.
Pakistan had gone into the first Test without a specialist spinner. The decision backfired. Their four fast bowlers failed to secure a first-innings lead, while Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the Bangladesh spinners, routed Pakistan in the third innings.
🚨 Pakistan's 12 for the second Test 🚨#PAKvBAN | #TestOnHai pic.twitter.com/9TprXzdzjx
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 29, 2024
Since the start of 2023, Shaheen has 16 wickets from five Tests at 40.81. Since the start of 2022, the numbers read 29 wickets from nine Tests at 36.55.
However, it is worth a mention that the Afridis had a son, Aliyaar, on August 24, the fourth day of the first Test match.
Pakistan 12-member squad for second Test against Bangladesh:
Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Abdullah Shafique, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shehzad
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