Pakistan announce 20-man squad for Bangladesh Tests

Pakistan's cricket selection committee on Monday announced a strong 20-man squad for the upcoming two-match Test series in Bangladesh.

The Babar Azam-led unit will lock horns with Bangladesh in three T20Is and a couple of Test matches in the coming days.

The Test matches, which form a part of the ICC World Test Championship, will succeed the T20I rubber, starting November 19 in Dhaka.

Opener Imran Butt, pacers Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dahani and leg-spinner Yasir Shah are the notable omissions from the squad. All four omitted members were part of the squad selected to tour the Caribbean back in August, with Rauf later being released to spend time with family.

Discarded opener Imam-ul-Haq, off-spinner Bilal Asif and middle-order batter Kamran Ghulam have received a call-up to the Test squad.

Imam-ul-Haq recalled, Yasir Shah misses out in Pakistan's Test touring party

Imam-ul-Haq has been rewarded for his consistent performances in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam FC Trophy. In five games, the southpaw has smashed 488 runs, which includes an unbeaten double hundred.

Imam last featured in a five-day game for Pakistan in December 2019.

Yasir Shah, on the other hand, has missed out due to a thumb injury he sustained during the National T20 Cup last month.

Meanwhile, Kamran returns to the squad after missing the West Indies tour. He was previously part of the Test squad during the home series against South Africa earlier this year.

Pacers Haris Rauf and Shahnawaz Dahani have been asked to return home and feature in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in order to prepare for the Test series against Australia in March next year.

Chief selector Muhammad Wasim said:

"We have selected the squad following 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."

He added:

"Bangladesh are 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."

The two Tests will take place in Chittagong (November 26-30) and Dhaka (December 04-08) respectively.

Pakistan Test squad for Bangladesh series

Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Bilal Asif, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Zahid Mahmood.