Uncapped quartet earns call-up in Pakistan’s Test squad for Bangladesh tour

LAHORE: Pakistan have announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, with Shan Masood set to continue as captain in the red-ball format.

The series, part of the ICC World Test Championship, will begin in Dhaka from May 8 to 12, while the second Test will be played in Sylhet from May 16 to 20.

The selectors have included four uncapped players in the squad — Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori — as Pakistan continue to build depth in the longer format.

Among those selected, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan are currently participating in a red-ball camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

The squad will assemble in Karachi on April 27 for a training camp that will run until May 1, before departing for Bangladesh on May 2. Players currently featuring in the HBL Pakistan Super League will join the side after completing their commitments, while those involved in the final will travel directly after the tournament concludes.

The squad features a mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talent, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi, as Pakistan aim to strengthen their position in the World Test Championship standings.

Squad: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi.