Imam-ul-Haq has made a comeback to the Pakistani squad for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, to be played in Chittagong (November 26-30) and in Dhaka (December 4-8).
Opener Imam-ul-Haq, middle-order batter Kamran Ghulam and off-spinner Bilal Asif are the new entrants, replacing Haris Rauf, Imran Butt, Shahnawaz Dahani, and Yasir Shah, who were part of the 21-player side that toured the West Indies in July/August.
Imam has returned to the Test squad due to his performance in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in which he has amassed 488 runs in five innings of four matches, including an unbeaten double-century. He had been out of the national side since his 11th and last Test against Australia in Adelaide in November/December 2019.
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Meanwhile, Bilal has replaced Yasir Shah who is still recovering from a thumb injury he sustained during the National T20 and is yet to feature in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. The off-spinner has taken 16 wickets in five Tests and has been drafted in the side considering the Bangladesh squad includes left-handed batters and also looking ahead to the home Tests against Australia.
Chief Selector Muhammad Wasim said that the selection committee had picked the squad after discussions with the team management and after taking into consideration the opposition’s potential make-up and the conditions in which the Tests will be played.
“As we already have four frontline fast bowlers, we have allowed Haris Rauf and Shahnawaz Dahani to return to Pakistan after the T20Is so that they can play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and prepare for Australia Tests. An in-form left-handed Imam-Ul-Haq has replaced Imran Butt, who managed to score at 17.8 in 10 Test innings, but he has a chance to continue to play and perform in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy so that he can force his way back in the side.
Pakistan announce squad for Bangladesh tour
“Bangladesh are a strong side in their backyard but we have the resources, talent, and experience to perform strongly and then carry that momentum into the Australia Tests, which will be part of the ICC World Test Championship.”
Pakistan Test squad:
Babar Azam (captain)
Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain)
Abdullah Shafique
Abid Ali
Azhar Ali
Bilal Asif
Faheem Ashraf
Fawad Alam
Hasan Ali
Imam-ul-Haq
Kamran Ghulam
Mohammad Abbas
Mohammad Nawaz
Naseem Shah
Nauman Ali
Sajid Khan
Sarfaraz Ahmed
Saud Shakeel
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Zahid Mahmood
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