Shaheen Afridi dropped from Pakistan’s Test squad for the second Bangladesh Test. PCB reveals the reason

Pakistan has released left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi from its Test squad in Rawalpindi. Shaheen was not included in the 12-member squad selected by Pakistan for the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh, the first day of which was washed out due to incessant rain at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in its statement that the Test team management has decided to release Shaheen from the squad so that he can spend time with his family. It is worth noting that on the fourth day of the first Test in Rawalpindi, which Pakistan lost to Bangladesh by ten wickets, Shaheen’s son Aliyar was born.

In the first Test against Bangladesh, Shaheen took two wickets in the first innings but failed to take any wicket in the second innings and finished with figures of 2-96 at the end of the match. Since the start of 2023, Shaheen’s form in Test cricket has been poor – 16 wickets in five Tests at an average of 40.81, while he has taken 115 wickets in 30 matches at an average of 27.08.

The Shan Masood-led team has included left-arm pacer Mir Hamza and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed in the 12-member squad for the second Test in place of Shaheen. Pakistan need to win the ongoing match in Rawalpindi to level the two-match series against Bangladesh. A draw due to rain forecast on the fourth and fifth days will give Bangladesh a historic first Test series win over Pakistan.

Both teams are at the bottom of the 2023-2025 World Test Championship standings, with Bangladesh seventh and Pakistan eighth, just above last-placed West Indies. Pakistan have not won a home Test match since beating South Africa in December 2021.

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