Pakistan faced an early setback on the second day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, losing their first wicket for zero runs. Opener Abdullah Shafique was dismissed for a duck in the opening over, leaving Pakistan in a precarious position.
Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field first, a decision that Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood acknowledged he would have made as well. Masood, addressing the media, expressed confidence that the match, which is now set to last four days due to a rain-affected first day, would see his team put on a strong performance.
Pakistan made several changes to their squad for this crucial Test. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed and fast bowler Mir Hamza were brought into the playing XI, replacing pace spearheads Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah. The team also included Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Ali, and Khurram Shahzad.
The first day of the Test was completely washed out due to rain, leading to no play. To recover some of the lost time, the second day’s play may be extended by 30 minutes.
Following a heavy defeat by 10 wickets in the first Test, Pakistan is under pressure to bounce back and level the series. However, with an early wicket down, the task ahead looks challenging.
Bangladesh Team: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana.
Pakistan Team: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Khurram Shahzad.
