Wrist spinner Abrar Ahmed has been released from Pakistan’s Test squad and will now play for Pakistan Shaheens in the second four-day match against Bangladesh ‘A’. This match is set to begin at the Islamabad Club on Tuesday, August 20.
The decision to release Abrar was made after selectors chose an all-pace attack for the first ICC World Test Championship match against Bangladesh, scheduled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, August 21. Instead of keeping him on the bench, the selectors included him in the Shaheens squad to help him gain match practice ahead of the second Test, which will take place in Karachi starting August 30.
Uncapped top-order batter Kamran Ghulam has also been released from the Pakistan Test squad and will remain with the Pakistan Shaheens for the second four-day match. He has been named the captain of the Shaheens.
With these changes, the Pakistan Test squad has been reduced to 15 players but will return to its full strength of 17 players after the conclusion of the second four-day match when Abrar and Kamran rejoin the team for the Karachi Test.
Several players who were part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad, including Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Saud Shakeel, have now joined the Test squad. Mohammad Rameez Jnr has been left out of the second four-day match. The Shaheens squad has been updated with the inclusion of Abrar Ahmed, Ali Zaryab Asif, Awais Anwar, Imam-ul-Haq, Niaz Khan, Qasim Akram, Rohail Nazir, and Sharoon Siraj.
Pakistan Shaheens Squad (for the second four-day match):
Kamran Ghulam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ali Zaryab, Ghulam Mudassar, Imam-ul-Haq, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Awais Anwar, Niaz Khan, Qasim Akram, Rohail Nazir (wicket-keeper), Saad Baig (wicket-keeper), Saad Khan, Sharoon Siraj, Umar Amin.
