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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have announced Pakistan's playing XI for the 1st Test match against Bangladesh which is scheduled to take place on August 21 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. Shan Masood & Co. will feature with four pacers as the conditions of the venue help speedsters. Premier speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the pace attack which has Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali and Khurram Shahzad. This is the first time for Shan Masood is leading Pakistan Test team in a home series with Saud Shakeel serving as his deputy.
This two-match Test series between Bangladesh and Pakistan is the part of World Test Championship third cycle where Pakistan are currently sixth among nine teams. On the other hand, Bangladesh are on eighth.
Earlier, the second Test was supposed to take place at National Stadium in Karachi but now both matches moved to Rawalpindi because of construction work at Karachi stadium.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood refused to accept the Bangladesh team is under-prepared.
"You expect all international Test sides to come into a series well prepared and trying to play their best cricket," he told AFP.
"Bangladesh is a side that has quality players in all departments and we highly respect the challenges they bring as a side to us."
This Test match will be the first assignment Jason Gillespie as Pakistan Cricket team's head coach. Masood also hopes Pakistan will show improvement under the new coach.
"We are excited to see how they (coaches) help us to be better people, better cricketers and -- most importantly -- be among the top teams in the world."
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Pakistan vs Bangladesh Test head to head
Both Pakistan and Bangladesh have played 13 Test matches against each other Pakistan won 12 and one ended with a draw. Bangladesh had never won a Test match against Pakistan. Bangladesh will look to register their maiden Test win against Pakistan.
Pakistan Playing XI against Bangladesh
Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (C), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (VC), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali
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