Pakistan are in a must-win situation having gone negative in the ongoing two-match Test series against Bangladesh and they have dropped their spearhead pace bowler Shaheen Afridi for the second match in Rawalpindi, starting Friday, August 30. Pakistan announced their 12 for the second and final match of the Test series and Shaheen, the former vice-captain, was nowhere to be seen while the likes of Abrar Ahmed and Mir Hamza were included.
Abrar might be a forced but necessary inclusion for Pakistan given that the hosts lost six points due to slow over-rate, especially when their position on the WTC table is already in the bottom half and the red-ball coach Jason Gillespie echoed that sentiment in the pre-match press conference on Thursday, August 29.
"We'll certainly look at conditions and make an assessment but one thing we're loathed to do is just make a decision purely based on over rates that's something we did speak about as a whole team because our over rates were poor in the first Test and unacceptable. It's as simple as that," Gillespie said.
One of Mohammad Ali or Mir Hamza is likely to miss out of the final XI, however, Shaheen not being able to carry the side in Test cricket will be a huge concern for Pakistan.
"We wanted to name 12 because obviously with the conditions we haven't been able to really look at the surface much the last couple of days because of the weather so we want to be as informed as we possibly can tomorrow morning to make the best decision we can in order to what we think is the best side to take 20 wickets," Gillespie added.
Shaheen bowled 30 overs in the first innings and took just two wickets while giving away 88 runs. On a placid track, Pakistan's four-pronged pace attack looked toothless and the hosts will hope that Abrar's inclusion brings the much-needed bite into the line-up.
Pakistan's 12 for second Test against Bangladesh: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood(c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w), Agha Salman, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mir Hamza, Abrar Ahmed
