Pakistan vs Bangladesh: 3 Players To Watch Out From Pakistan Team

Pakistan's national cricket team is gearing up for a 2-match Test series against Bangladesh, as part of the ICC World Test Championship. India’s arch-rivals will be playing for the first time since their disappointing performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where they were eliminated from the group stage after being defeated by teams like Afghanistan and the USA. However, they will try to put the past behind them and start fresh with this Test series against the Bangladesh Lions, who are also in a similar situation after failing to qualify for the semi-finals of an ICC event for the second time in two years.

Despite going through a rough patch, the Pakistan team holds a strong record against Shanto and Co., having consistently emerged as winners. Even though they are considered the dominant side in the series, several players could be match-winners for Masood and Co. as they head into the 2-match Test series. In this article, we will talk about 3 players to watch out for from the Pakistan national cricket team in the series against Bangladesh. 

3 Players To Watch Out From Pakistan Team

1. Babar Azam:

The first name on this list is Pakistan's former captain Babar Azam, who is heading into the series after a below-par performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. As the leader of the side, he failed to take his team beyond the group stage after losses to the USA and India. Apart from his captaincy, he also underperformed as a batter, scoring just 122 runs in 4 matches. 

The star batter was criticized for his poor performance, which contributed to Pakistan's exit from the 9th edition of the marquee event. As he heads into the Test series, he will be eager to score runs and help the Pakistan team move one step closer to the ICC World Test Championship.

2. Aamer Jamal:

The Pakistan national team has allowed young pacer Aamer Jamal, following his brilliant performance in domestic cricket. Jamal is a fast bowler who has represented the Shaheens in 3 Test matches so far, taking 18 wickets, including 6 in his debut game against Australia last year. He later took 5 wickets in the 2nd Test match against the Aussies before claiming his second 6-wicket haul in the final game of the series. He also impressed with the bat, scoring a crucial 82 runs.

During the Sydney Test, Jamal achieved an incredible record by becoming the second Pakistani cricketer, after Imran Khan, to score 80-plus runs and take a six-wicket innings haul in the same match. Imran Khan achieved this feat in a Test match against India in 1983. Pakistan will be hoping for a similar performance from the young fast bowler.

3. Naseem Shah:

Another player to watch out for in the upcoming series is fast bowler Naseem Shah, who will be making a return to the Pakistan Test team after a long wait of 13 months, having last played against Sri Lanka.

Despite being a top player, he finished the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 with just 5 wickets in 3 games. However, after being named in the 17-man squad for the upcoming series, he will be eager to secure his place in the Pakistan Test team as they continue their journey towards the World Test Championship.

Squads:

Bangladesh Squad:

Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed

Pakistan Squad:

Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal (subject to Fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk) and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The first Test between these teams will be played on August 21 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. The second Test match will be held in Karachi.