Pakistan started off their series against Bangladesh on a shocking note, when they lost the first Test of the two-match series, thus creating an embarrassing record of losing to Bangladesh for the first time in a Test match. Now, they have just one game to save their faces, and they would need to win it in order to avoid a series defeat, and also stay alive in the race for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. With a win required, Pakistan have made two additions to their squad for the second Test which is set to begin on August 30 in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan were playing without a specialist spinner in the first Test against Pakistan as they released Abrar Ahmed ahead of the game to play for the Pakistan Shaheens side in a 4-day game against Bangladesh A. Now, in a statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board, they have decided to call the young off-spinner back into the squad for the second game.
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In addition, young batter Kamran Ghulam has also been recalled in the squad, after being released alongside Abrar Ahmed for the Pakistan Shaheens.
"Abrar Ahmed and Kamran Ghulam have joined the Pakistan Test squad ahead of the second Test match against Bangladesh, scheduled to take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 30 August to 3 September," the PCB said in a statement.
Star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was also released from the Pakistan squad after the first Test match against Bangladesh after the birth of his son. He is also back in the squad and will be a key component in the playing XI in the second Test.
Pakistan Squad For Second Test Vs Bangladesh
Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal (subject to fitness), Abrar Ahmed, Abdullah Shafique, 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) and Shaheen Shah Afridi.