Lucknow Press
PAK vs BAN 2nd Test Match: The last match of the two-Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh is to be played from Friday (30 August). It is important for the host Pakistan, which is trailing 0-1 in the series, to win this match at any cost. However, Pakistan’s left-arm star fast bowler Shaheen Afridi will not be a part of the team in this match. He has not been given a place in the 12-member team for the second Test.
In fact, after the defeat in the first Test, the Pakistan team and captain Shan Masood faced severe criticism, after this match, news of a rift between captain Shan and Shaheen Afridi also surfaced, when in a viral clip, during the team huddle, star fast bowler Shaheen Afridi was seen pushing away the hand of captain Shan Masood standing next to him with his shoulder.
However, Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has denied that Shaheen Afridi has been dropped. Coach Jason Gillespie said, “We have had a good conversation with him and he fully understands and appreciates the thinking behind it. Shaheen has been given some feedback. He is working on some things to make his bowling as effective as possible.
Gillespie further said, “He (Shaheen) is working really well with Azhar Mahmood. We want to see Shaheen doing his best because we have a lot of cricket in all formats and Shaheen will play a really big role in it.”
Two changes in the team for the second test
Pakistan announced a 12-member squad on the eve of the match, which included legspinner Abrar Ahmed and fast bowler Mir Hamza. Pakistan’s team combination in the first Test was also heavily criticised by former players, in which they fielded four fast bowlers. The former players believed that playing with two spinners was a better option.
Pakistan’s 12-member squad: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Abdullah Shafiq, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad
