New Delhi: Pakistan will host Bangladesh in a two-match Test series in Rawalpindi with the first Test set to commence from Wednesday. Days before the series opener, the Pakistan team stunned the cricket fraternity as they opted for an all-out pace attack to take on the Bangla Tigers. It is highly unlikely that a team takes on the opposition without a full-time spinner in their squad, especially in the current scenario.
While some guessed that Pakistan trying out new combinations for their upcoming packed schedule, some said that the team is taking an aggressive approach. However Shan Masood on Tuesday set the record straight over the same. While talking to the media on the eve of the opening Test, Masood didn’t hold back the reason for adding a four-pronged pace attack spearheaded by Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Masood said that results in the domestic matches at Rawalpindi have encouraged him to go with an all-out pace attack which also features quicks like Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali in the playing XI. “You have to be very flexible and you have to adapt and adopt different conditions. I feel in Rawalpindi… the conditions have favored the seamers and the batters, spin bowling hasn’t been such a big threat,” Masood said.
As far as the spin bowlers are concerned, Pakistan are relying on all-rounders Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel who bowl right-arm offbreak and left-arm orthodox respectively.
🚨 Pakistan’s playing XI for the first Test 🚨#PAKvBAN | #TestOnHai pic.twitter.com/2Q94RZStPB
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 19, 2024
Masood eyeing series win
Shan Masood donned the Test skipper’s hat for Pakistan earlier this year as they took on Australia but were swept 3-0 eight months ago, which was the last Test series they played. Having debuted in a lost series, Masood would indeed want to improve his record with the Bangladesh Tests. The series will also be the first Test for Pakistan’s new red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie.
“There were some mistakes that we made that cost us probably the Melbourne and Sydney test matches. But as a team, we were heading in the right direction, so that’s something that we’ll take with us,” Masood added.
PAK squad for 1st Test vs BAN: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali.
(With PTI inputs)
Pakistan stunned the cricket fraternity as they opted or an all-out pace attack for the first Test against Bangladesh scheduled in Rawalpindi. Shan Masood revealed the actual reason behind the decision. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
