Pakistan is gearing up for a 2-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting August 21 in Rawalpindi. The hosts have named a formidable squad with a heavy pace battery including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mir Hamza and Khurram Shehzad.
The team has begun sweating it out in the nets for the series. During a recent training session, a fierce match-up between Shahzad and Babar Azam was on display as the pacer put the former captain to the test. A video has gone viral in which Shahzad delivers a masterful outswinger that nearly clips Babar’s off-stump, leaving the batter exposed. The pacer then bowls a sharp back-of-a-length ball that cuts back in and strikes Babar painfully on the box.
But that wasn’t the end of Babar’s misery. The batter was cleaned up next ball while attempting an ambitious drive.
Keeping in mind the forecast for rain and overcast conditions, Pakistan team management is likely to field a pace-heavy bowling unit against Bangladesh in the first Test. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted rain of varying intensity across the five days of the match hence the hosts will have all their frontline pacers at work.
Earlier, the four-day ‘unofficial’ Test between Pakistan Shaheens and Bangladesh A ended in a draw on Friday because of inclement weather. Bangladesh A were bowled out for 122 in their first innings and then the visitors conceded a lead of 245 runs.
Bangladesh were 153 for 5 in their second essay when the umpires called off the match. The third day’s play of the match, in which eight Pakistan Test players appeared, was a complete washout.
The Pakistan management is also pondering over whether to debut young opening batter Muhammad Huraira. He has been in fine form recently, having scored a double hundred for the Pakistan Shaheens in a First-Class game against Bangladesh A in Darwin, Australia, last month.
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