Pakistan Bring in Legspinner After Rawalpindi Defeat
Pakistan have made a change to their bowling attack for the second Test against Bangladesh, naming a 12-man squad that includes legspinner Abrar Ahmed. This decision comes after Pakistan’s all-pace attack failed to deliver in the first Test in Rawalpindi, where they suffered their maiden loss to Bangladesh in the format.
Pakistan’s head coach, Jason Gillespie, acknowledged that Shaheen Afridi has “missed out” on this game, stating that the fast bowler has been given feedback and is “working on some things” to improve his effectiveness. Gillespie emphasized that Shaheen is an important part of the team and will play a significant role in the upcoming fixtures across all formats.
The inclusion of Abrar Ahmed and the possible inclusion of the legspinner in the starting XI suggest that Pakistan are looking to add more variety to their bowling attack. The weather conditions in Rawalpindi, where it has rained for the past three days, have prevented the teams from getting a close look at the playing surface, leading Pakistan to name a 12-man squad to keep their options open.
“The team is still evaluating the best combination for the second Test, taking into account the prevailing conditions before finalizing the playing XI.”
- Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s head coach
Pakistan will need to win the second Test to draw the series, having suffered their first-ever defeat to Bangladesh in the format in the previous match.
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