Pakistan squad for 2-match Test series against Bangladesh announced

[MenInG]

National selectors today announced the Pakistan men’s cricket team for the two Tests against Bangladesh, which will be played in Chittagong (26-30 November) and Dhaka (4-8 December).

Opener Imam-Ul-Haq, middle-order batter Kamran Ghulam and off-spinner Bilal Asif have been named in the 20-player squad, replacing Haris Rauf, Imran Butt, Shahnawaz Dahani and Yasir Shah, who were part of the 21-player side that toured the West Indies in July/August.

Left-handed Imam has been recalled following his stellar performances in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in which he has aggregated 488 runs in five innings of four matches, including an unbeaten double-century. Imam had played his 11th and last Test against Australia in Adelaide in November/December 2019.

Bilal has replaced Yasir Shah who is still recovering from a thumb injury he sustained during the National T20 and is yet to feature in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. The off-spinner has taken 16 wickets in five Tests and has been drafted in the side considering Bangladesh squad includes left-handed batters and also looking ahead to the home Tests against Australia.

Kamran has returned to the side after missing the West Indies tour. He was in the squad for the home series against South Africa after scoring a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy record 1,249 runs in the 2020-21 season. Kamran is presently in Sri Lanka with the Pakistan Shaheens where he scored 58 not out and 45 in two innings of the rain-affected two-match four-day series.

Chief Selector Muhammad Wasim: “We have selected the squad following discussions with the team management and after taking into consideration the opposition’s potential make-up and the conditions in which the Tests will be played.

“As we already have four frontline fast bowlers, we have allowed Haris Rauf and Shahnawaz Dahani to return to Pakistan after the T20Is so that they can play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and prepare for Australia Tests. An in-form left-handed Imam-Ul-Haq has replaced Imran Butt, who managed to score at 17.8 in 10 Test innings, but he has a chance to continue to play and perform in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy so that he can force his way back in the side.

“Bangladesh are strong side in their backyard but we have the resources, talent and experience to perform strongly and then carry that momentum into the Australia Tests, which will be part of the ICC World Test Championship.”

Pakistan Test squad:

1. Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab)
2. Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
3. Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab)
4. Abid Ali (Central Punjab)
5. Azhar Ali (Central Punjab)
6. Bilal Asif (Central Punjab)
7. Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab)
8. Fawad Alam (Sindh)
9. Hasan Ali (Central Punjab)
10. Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan)
11. Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
12. Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab)
13. Mohammad Nawaz (Northern)
14. Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab)
15. Nauman Ali (Northern)
16. Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
17. Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh)
18. Saud Shakeel (Sindh)
19. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
20. Zahid Mahmood (Sindh)

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Good squad. Can't say I have issues with any of the selections.

What will be much more important is the playing eleven selected by the team management.

 

[PakPremi]

A good squad Bilal Asif probably was not needed with so many spinners already in the squad.

 

[Major]

Bilal asif isnt a full time spinner. He is more of a part timer. Hopefully zahid mehmood gets the go

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Imran Butt getting the boot is pretty harsh, balls are gonna keep low so don’t see his slips catching coming in handy.

 

[street cricketer]

Finally some test cricket. Pakistan should be wary of this series, has the potential to be a bit of a banana skin if Bangladesh prepare rank turners and Pakistan has to bat last. Still Pak should beat Bangladesh 2-0 comfortably all said and done. I do expect Bangladesh to prepare roads against Pak.

Where's Yasir Shah btw. Is he injured?

 

[Double Trouble]

Nice to see Zahid Mehmood in the squad

Any other leggies available apart from Qadir

 

[sam_ahm]

Imran Butt getting the boot is a bit harsh indeed. Guy is a gun slip fielder.

 

[Bewal Express]

Thankfully Butt has gone. Missing straight ones isnt a technique at the international level. I am surprised Abid has survived and after this tour both he and AA need to be put out to pasture.

 

[mastimasti]

I don't know much about Pakistan FC cricket but Shadab omission is interesting. The rest are names I have seen in test cricket or read about here.

 

[Devadwal]

No Yasir shah knowing Bangladesh willproduce spinning track for this series

 

[m.shah]

Where is Yasir Shah when you need him most.

 

[Professionalismandflair]

Yasir Shah? Living on his reputation of too long ago. Expensive and out of form. Keep him out.

 

[asadee]

Yasir Shah has a finger injury

 

[NauV]

Strange to leave Yasir out unless he's injured. . Pitches in Bang are the most conducive to his style of bowling.

- Harsh to leave Imran out if Abid is in . . becuase they've both been horrific opening the batting . . Abid other than his debut series and a double against Zimbabwe hasn't looked like putting on any runs . .
- I see Abdullah Shafique again . . I have seen 1 T20 innings of his . . can someone please tell me his first class stats? Secondly, I don't see his name in any charts in the ongoing QEA . . Can someone tell me if he hasn't been playing . .

Whichever selector thinks that someone can become a test batter without playing a ton of balls in domestic cricket and racking up runs should stop thinking/talking about cricket . .

 

[Omer2002]

Hope Adbullah gets a go before Imam does in tests. Yasir is injured so it be very interesting to see our spinners as i think we will struggle big time against spin.

 

[shah9425]

Overall good squad this series is crucial for world test championship

 

[ahmadharis1]

I don't understand the obsession with picking Abdullah Shafique in every test squad, they guy has played like 3 first class games, let him play some more domestic!

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Thankfully Butt has gone. Missing straight ones isnt a technique at the international level. I am surprised Abid has survived and after this tour both he and AA need to be put out to pasture.

Butt needs to up his game as an opener if opening is not his piece of cake then should try coming in at no.5 or 6

His domestics performance is also poor this season, Abid scored 2x 150s so far in the QeA trophy this season.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

I don't know much about Pakistan FC cricket but Shadab omission is interesting. The rest are names I have seen in test cricket or read about here.

Shadab looks like picked up an injury in the semi , good that he is not picked here. SSA shouldn’t be in the squad too, must be rested. Wasim is just another Pak selector nothing special from him tbh.

 

[Bewal Express]

Butt needs to up his game as an opener if opening is not his piece of cake then should try coming in at no.5 or 6

His domestics performance is also poor this season, Abid scored 2x 150s so far in the QeA trophy this season.

Abid can score triple 100s and it will not a make a difference to my views. Although nothing terrible, he isnt good enough at this level against good bowlers after seeing him against both NZ and England.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Overall a good squad.Shaheen should have been rested.Bangla will mae rank turners so Pakistan will need only two fast bowlers.

 

[Firebat]

It's a squad of 20 so seems tough to tell which players will play. Just glad that Imran Butt is gone.

 

[ChTab]

Strange to leave Yasir out unless he's injured. . Pitches in Bang are the most conducive to his style of bowling.

- Harsh to leave Imran out if Abid is in . . becuase they've both been horrific opening the batting . . Abid other than his debut series and a double against Zimbabwe hasn't looked like putting on any runs . .
- I see Abdullah Shafique again . . I have seen 1 T20 innings of his . . can someone please tell me his first class stats? Secondly, I don't see his name in any charts in the ongoing QEA . . Can someone tell me if he hasn't been playing . .

Whichever selector thinks that someone can become a test batter without playing a ton of balls in domestic cricket and racking up runs should stop thinking/talking about cricket . .

Abdullah Shafique is currently with Shaheen's squad which is on tour of SL-A & he has performed well over there.

Scored 9 & 117 vs SL-A in two 4-day games.
In List A games vs SL-A, he has 15, 0*, 27.

All the games were affected by rain.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

No Yasir shah knowing Bangladesh willproduce spinning track for this series

Not sure if Yasir is best on spinning tracks. He is more helpful on flatter, sluggish tracks.

Lesser spinners are more useful on spinning tracks because the pitch does the job for them, I'd reckon.

 

[muqarrab]

M. Wasim needs to go back to his friend's platform on PTV and leave us alone. Really harsh to drop imran butt.

 

[cricketAXEpert]

Bilal asif isnt a full time spinner. He is more of a part timer. Hopefully zahid mehmood gets the go

Is this the end of Yasir Shah? or is he just injured?

 

[PakEngFan]

M. Wasim needs to go back to his friend's platform on PTV and leave us alone. Really harsh to drop imran butt.

Imran butt looks no better then a club level batsmen at international level. Other then his slip fielding he’s awful.

 

[PakEngFan]

M. Wasim needs to go back to his friend's platform on PTV and leave us alone. Really harsh to drop imran butt.

Imran butt looks no better then a club level batsmen at international level. Other then his slip fielding he’s awful.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Butt needs to up his game as an opener if opening is not his piece of cake then should try coming in at no.5 or 6

His domestics performance is also poor this season, Abid scored 2x 150s so far in the QeA trophy this season.

Wait what?? Imran performed quite well in this QeA season as well. It's just that Abid has done better, however this QeA season has been a disgrace with what 4 rounds of QeA played and only 1 victory to show for it. The pitches have been complete roads.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Imran butt looks no better then a club level batsmen at international level. Other then his slip fielding he’s awful.

I think if you ask Imran to slash at it that's his best chance. He did well to be fair to him in his last innings versus WI which was crucial in us getting the W and most importantly the test championship points.

 

[PakEngFan]

I think if you ask Imran to slash at it that's his best chance. He did well to be fair to him in his last innings versus WI which was crucial in us getting the W and most importantly the test championship points.

Yeah and at best he will mange 20 odd against a good team. He has many technical flaws so much so he makes Abid Ali a great batsmen.

 

[Muhammad]

I think if you ask Imran to slash at it that's his best chance. He did well to be fair to him in his last innings versus WI which was crucial in us getting the W and most importantly the test championship points.

This is test cricket we’re talking about and if his best chance is to have a slash at it then I’d say that disqualifies him for the role!

But harsh to drop him as when he gets going every 5th innings it’s very entertaining.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Shadab looks like picked up an injury in the semi , good that he is not picked here. SSA shouldn’t be in the squad too, must be rested. Wasim is just another Pak selector nothing special from him tbh.

The tests are crucial for us as it's part of the WTC cycle so we are obligated to play our best XI to ensure we get the points. After this though the main players deserve a good old hearty break and should not be playing in next month's home series versus WI.

 

[moghul]

When will we get rid of minnow bashers Azhar Ali and Abid ALi, sick and tired of seeing them blocking the younger players , particularly 40 year old Azhar ALi, always fails against quality bowling .

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Yeah and at best he will mange 20 odd against a good team. He has many technical flaws so much so he makes Abid Ali a great batsmen.

Yep, don't disagree with his flaws but unfortunately tell me a good slips catcher right now in our line-up?

 

[PakEngFan]

When will we get rid of minnow bashers Azhar Ali and Abid ALi, sick and tired of seeing them blocking the younger players , particularly 40 year old Azhar ALi, always fails against quality bowling .

Azhar Ali is struggling in the domestics we’re everyone is scoring tons for fun.

 

[PakEngFan]

Yep, don't disagree with his flaws but unfortunately tell me a good slips catcher right now in our line-up?

So he should play because he’s a good slip fielder?

 

[Shoaibbtt]

This is test cricket we’re talking about and if his best chance is to have a slash at it then I’d say that disqualifies him for the role!

But harsh to drop him as when he gets going every 5th innings it’s very entertaining.

Look yaar go look at his stats 6 matches with 16 catches that's unheard of. You tell me another good slips fielder? We need a good slips catcher and especially for our seamers. Say what you want but his catches have won us matches as well for e.g. the last test versus WI and 2nd test vs SA.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

So he should play because he’s a good slip fielder?

Everyone fails, play him cause he's still young but if you think that slips fielding should be seen as something minor then you are wrong and i never got an answer to my question who in our playing XI can catch in the slips?

 

[Amjid Javed]

imran Butt rightly dropped. Abid Ali should have been dropped aswell, im sure he will get cheap runs and then fail against Aussies.

Also its time to move on from Azhar Ali clogging up number 3 spot.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Azhar Ali is struggling in the domestics we’re everyone is scoring tons for fun.

It's not as if this QeA is going to prove anything and it won't help for the conditions they will face in Bangladesh i.e. slow and low bounce.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

imran Butt rightly dropped. Abid Ali should have been dropped aswell, im sure he will get cheap runs and then fail against Aussies.

Also its time to move on from Azhar Ali clogging up number 3 spot.

You can't drop Azhar given he's your second most successful batsman this year after Fawad Alam. The weakest links are the openers.

 

[PakEngFan]

Everyone fails, play him cause he's still young but if you think that slips fielding should be seen as something minor then you are wrong and i never got an answer to my question who in our playing XI can catch in the slips?

Babar is decent Fawad is pretty good. Abdullah shafiq is decent who’s even younger and looks miles better batsmen then him. You are telling me to play a guy who awful with the bat and is an opener due to slip fielding. He’s picked as a batsmen to score runs which is beyond him.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Babar is decent Fawad is pretty good. Abdullah shafiq is decent who’s even younger and looks miles better batsmen then him. You are telling me to play a guy who awful with the bat and is an opener due to slip fielding. He’s picked as a batsmen to score runs which is beyond him.

Yaar we are hitting a wall with this debate. I said i agree with you that his batting is not right, however we cannot downplay a trait such as catching which has always been a big problem in Pak cricket. Fielding plays a major role in tests and therefore i would say persist with Imran and hope he finds form. On the other hand though i can see that the Aussie home series is coming and in that he'll be a sitting duck.

 

[UzmanBeast]

Abdullah Shafique
Imam-ul-Haq
Saud Shakeel
Babar Azam (c)
Fawad Alam
Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
Mohammad Nawaz
Hasan Ali
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Zahid Mahmood
Nauman Ali

That would be my squad given the resources at disposal.

 

[Savak]

Pretty sure Ramiz Raja put his foot down i.e. you cant select someone purely on the basis of his slip catching alone i.e. Imran Butt

 

[Amjid Javed]

You can't drop Azhar given he's your second most successful batsman this year after Fawad Alam. The weakest links are the openers.

We dont have 2 decent openers, so Azhar should open with one other. we can at least then bring in a middle order player to fill the gap if Azhar moved up.

playing two mediocre or untested openers will be exposed by better sides.

 

[Bewal Express]

When will we get rid of minnow bashers Azhar Ali and Abid ALi, sick and tired of seeing them blocking the younger players , particularly 40 year old Azhar ALi, always fails against quality bowling .

Selectors are scared to make decisions just in case the new guy fails. AA offers his past performances and nothing else and because of those he gets a very long rope. Babar needs to force the issue and put his stamp on the team.

 

[Kroll]

Yasir Shah? Living on his reputation of too long ago. Expensive and out of form. Keep him out.

Great first post

 

[Shoaibbtt]

We dont have 2 decent openers, so Azhar should open with one other. we can at least then bring in a middle order player to fill the gap if Azhar moved up.

playing two mediocre or untested openers will be exposed by better sides.

From what i saw Abdullah Shafique has looked good and impressed as well in the Shaheens 4 day game. Azhar should remain at 3. I would like to see Saud and Abdullah open but most likely i can see another injustice taking place with them playing Imam and Abid as the openers. We must give chances to players now with this being an excellent opportunity, the wicket isn't going to be entirely easy to bat on with low bounce to negotiate against.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Selectors are scared to make decisions just in case the new guy fails. AA offers his past performances and nothing else and because of those he gets a very long rope. Babar needs to force the issue and put his stamp on the team.

That's what will make Babar a good captain which is making bold/tough decisions and nothing tougher than dropping a senior and replacing him with a performer in domestic. However, with that said dropping Azhar Ali is unfair as i said earlier in this post he is the 2nd highest run scorer for Pakistan in tests this year.

 

[Bewal Express]

That's what will make Babar a good captain which is making bold/tough decisions and nothing tougher than dropping a senior and replacing him with a performer in domestic. However, with that said dropping Azhar Ali is unfair as i said earlier in this post he is the 2nd highest run scorer for Pakistan in tests this year.

For me he saves himself just in time but we aren't developing as a team because the likes of him are hanging around too long. Sure, his experience will be missed in tight situations but others that are younger will step up.

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

Why do they keep selecting Naseem Shah???

Let him play in First - Class (or Pakistan Shaheens)

 

[Cricketrenew]

Yasir Shah has failed so many times .... why do people still keep forgetting.
He has one ball the leggie ......
I would like him to develop a second ball .... but he hasnt over so many years...
He has failed to take wickets on so many ocassions when expected to do so, that we need someone for all ocassions and all conditions.

 

[Artaxerxes]

For me he saves himself just in time but we aren't developing as a team because the likes of him are hanging around too long. Sure, his experience will be missed in tight situations but others that are younger will step up.

Nadeem Shah has improved a lot.He bowled very well against Sri Lanka A.

 

[DRsohail]

Azhar Ali should have been dropped.

 

[gazza619]

Why do they keep selecting Naseem Shah???

Let him play in First - Class (or Pakistan Shaheens)

I dont mind Naseem Shah in a 5 man attack.

That would be a problem if we only had 4 bowlers.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

For me he saves himself just in time but we aren't developing as a team because the likes of him are hanging around too long. Sure, his experience will be missed in tight situations but others that are younger will step up.

Frankly for me in my eyes Azhar has to stay given the stats. However, i think dropping Abid or trying someone other than Abid should not be out of the question.

 

[Ami]

Butt, ave 17.80 - catches 16.
I would have kept him.
I think his catches are more valuable than his runs.
Another slip fielder would shun at least half of those...

 

[moghul]

Azhar Ali is struggling in the domestics we’re everyone is scoring tons for fun.

And that dummy selector Wasim , keep on selecting him. Azhar could not score runs in QAe trophy when all the main bowlers were away on national duty .

 

[Shoaibbtt]

And that dummy selector Wasim , keep on selecting him. Azhar could not score runs in QAe trophy when all the main bowlers were away on national duty .

Not a massive Azhar fan but go check his numbers for this year.

 

[Nasty Naz]

Disappointing to see Naseem selected. There is 0% chance he plays in a 5 pacer squad where it's going to be a spin heavy attack. He will just be in the bench serving drinks instead of playing in FC which would be way more useful for him. I get that they want him to know he's still in their plans but why not just let him play some FC matches first? A lot of those A tours were rained out too.

Overall, it's a good squad I am glad to see Kamran being back but it's unlikely either Saud nor Kamran will play either. Confusing such a big squad has been selected to be honest.

 

[Nasty Naz]

Just noticed Imran Butt being dropped and thank god. Such a poor player who is basically a slip fielding specialist.

I wonder if they give Saud a shot to open like he has in A tours but more than likely, they will go with Imam.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Just noticed Imran Butt being dropped and thank god. Such a poor player who is basically a slip fielding specialist.

I wonder if they give Saud a shot to open like he has in A tours but more than likely, they will go with Imam.

I'd be pretty angry if i was Abdullah Shafique and Imam got the nod ahead of me.

 

[sweep_shot]

Very strong squad.

Pakistan should get two big wins with this squad.

 

[Rana]

Shadab Khan should have been in this squad at least

He is an underrated Test match option. The boy can put on handy partnerships with the lower order and it’s an ideal chance to develop him with Noman being the senior spinner

 

[NauV]

Abdullah Shafique is currently with Shaheen's squad which is on tour of SL-A & he has performed well over there.

Scored 9 & 117 vs SL-A in two 4-day games.
In List A games vs SL-A, he has 15, 0*, 27.

All the games were affected by rain.

Thanks. He should be back home and playing every QEA game left rather than traveling with the Pak team and sitting on the bench (which is what's going to happen) . . absolutely no point of that and we are killing his development by carrying him in the team with the QEA is on

 

[moghul]

I have heard lot about Abdullah Shafiq on this forum and now he is in test squad but has played only 3 FC matches. What is so special about him as he has been fast tracked to test team ? A special talent ?

 

[Muddaser]

Are they posters in this thread saying Imran Butt should be in the squad because he is a good slip fielder?

Select a player for his slip fielding? Seriously?

 

[MenInG]

The players in Test squad will enter the bio-secure bubble in Lahore on November 18

All the players will leave for Dhaka on November 21 and join the squad on November 23 after a one-day quarantine in Dhaka

The Test squad will leave for Chittagong on November 24 whilst the players in the T20I squad will return to Lahore on November 24

 

[amvbfm]

Don't understand the selection of Bilal Asif. I understand that conditions will be conducive to spin but when you already have 3 specialist spinners and Nawaz plus Kamran, Saud and Fawad all capable of bowling decent offspin why select Bilal when there is almost no chance that he will play. And if you just had to select another spinner then why not take along Shadab or someone younger who would benefit from the experience.

Also, pleasantly surprised to see Butt omitted. I hope they finally give a chance to Abdullah at the top.

 

[Bull]

Imran butt should not have been dropped.He is brilliant slip fielder.He is probably the best slip fielder in the world.
Slip fielding is very important in test cricket.Hopefully imran improves his batting and can average around 35 he will be very valuable asset.

On the other hand Abid Ali is very awful batsman with so much holes in his game.He should have been dropped.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

The players in Test squad will enter the bio-secure bubble in Lahore on November 18

All the players will leave for Dhaka on November 21 and join the squad on November 23 after a one-day quarantine in Dhaka

The Test squad will leave for Chittagong on November 24 whilst the players in the T20I squad will return to Lahore on November 24

Pretty silly why not just go to Chittagong and start your training???

 

[Anis Shivani]

I have heard lot about Abdullah Shafiq on this forum and now he is in test squad but has played only 3 FC matches. What is so special about him as he has been fast tracked to test team ? A special talent ?

From what I saw of him in the recent national T20 cup he seemed to be the best recent Pakistani batsman I've seen, period.

 

[shamaan]

Imran Butt getting the boot is a bit harsh indeed. Guy is a gun slip fielder.

Maybe they are actually looking to play Abdullah at the opening slot.

 

[shamaan]

I don't know much about Pakistan FC cricket but Shadab omission is interesting. The rest are names I have seen in test cricket or read about here.

Shadab doesn't have the temperament to bowl long spells.

 

[shamaan]

From what i saw Abdullah Shafique has looked good and impressed as well in the Shaheens 4 day game. Azhar should remain at 3. I would like to see Saud and Abdullah open but most likely i can see another injustice taking place with them playing Imam and Abid as the openers. We must give chances to players now with this being an excellent opportunity, the wicket isn't going to be entirely easy to bat on with low bounce to negotiate against.

Why would you want two new players open the batting it should azhar open the batting and using his experience to guide them throw the new ball.

 

[shamaan]

Shadab Khan should have been in this squad at least

He is an underrated Test match option. The boy can put on handy partnerships with the lower order and it’s an ideal chance to develop him with Noman being the senior spinner

If it was in SENA yes I'd pick shadab but in asain conditions you need two proper spinners who can bowl long spells.

 

[shamaan]

I have heard lot about Abdullah Shafiq on this forum and now he is in test squad but has played only 3 FC matches. What is so special about him as he has been fast tracked to test team ? A special talent ?

Babar rates him very highly.