Given the weather predictions of a four-factor probability of rain and overcast, the team management is expected to play a pacemaker lineup against Bangladesh in the first Test match to be played at Rawalpindi between August 21 and 25.
Season’s first rain alert has been sounded by the Pakistan Meteorological Department, with more intensity of rain during the five-day cricket match.
Therefore, Pakistan is expected to settle for pacemen Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mir Hamza, and Khurram Shehzad, while the spinner is Salman Ali Agha.
As in New Zealand, the match had to be shortened because of bad weather, and it is probable that the lone specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed, would not get a chance to play as a consequence.
‘In the four-day match in Islamabad, Bangladesh A again got bundled up for cheap in a match that clearly suited pace bowlers,’ a source close to the selectors added.
The four-day ‘unofficial’ Test between Pakistan Shaheens and Bangladesh A came to a premature close as, due to bad light and rain, the match was declared a draw on Friday.
Bangladesh A were all out for 122 in the first inning while the hosts let in a lead of 245 in the second inning.
In their second dig, Bangladesh were 153/5 when the umpires had to pull the curtains on the match.
The third day of the match was fully washed out with eight regular Pakistan Test players taking the field.
The Pakistan management is also debating whether to include young opening batter Muhammad Huraira.
Huraira has been in good touch recently; he scored a double hundred for the Pakistan Shaheens in a First-Class game against Bangladesh A in Darwin, Australia, last month.
The probable Pakistan eleven for the first Test against Bangladesh: Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Huraira, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Muhammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mir Hamza, and Khurrum Shehzad or Muhammad Ali.
