Pakistan Drops Abrar Ahmed and Kamran Ghulam from Squad for First Test Against Bangladesh
In a surprising move, the Pakistan team management has excluded leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed and uncapped batter Kamran Ghulam from the 17-man squad ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh. Former cricketer Basit Ali has expressed disappointment with the selectors’ decision.
Basit criticized the selectors for not including a genuine spinner in the squad, especially with rain predicted during the first Test. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that they will opt for an all-out pace attack, with Shaheen Shah Afridi leading the charge along with other fast bowling options.
Despite being dropped, Abrar and Kamran will feature for Pakistan Shaheens in a four-day game against Bangladesh ‘A’. The selectors aim for Abrar to gain match practice ahead of the second Test starting on August 30, where both players will rejoin the Test squad.
This decision means Pakistan will rely on all-rounder Salman Ali Agha as the sole spin option for the first Test. Salman has been a consistent bowler in Test matches since 2023 and has picked up crucial wickets for Pakistan.
Pakistan’s last Test match with an all-pace attack was against Sri Lanka in 2019. It remains to be seen how this strategy will fare against Bangladesh in the upcoming series.
