RAWALPINDI: Faced with a must-win challenge, Pakistan in a major move on Thursday axed their pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi for the second and final Test against Bangladesh as the hosts look to avoid a series loss in Rawalpindi.

A Shan Masood-led team with an all-pace bowling attack suffered a stunning 10-wicket loss to Bangladesh — the country’s very first against Bangladesh — on the final day of the first Test at the Pindi Cricket Stadium last Sunday and now face a must-win task in the second Test starting at the same venue on Friday.

Bangladesh on the other hand are looking to record a historic first Test series victory over Pakistan.

Rawalpindi’s rainy weather is likely to affect the second Test as it did in the series opener. Intermittent rain and bad weather in the city prevented both the teams from practising on Thursday.

Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s red ball coach, said the bowlers would need to embrace a ruthless approach in the final Test.

Addressing a press conference here in Rawalpindi, the former Australian fast bowler announced a 12-member squad, axing Shaheen while including mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed.

A spectacular match-winning performance by Bangladesh spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz (4-21) and Shakib Al Hasan (3-44) on the last day of the series opener raised several questions over Pakistan team management’s approach of going into that Test without a specialist spinner.

“Our [over] rates were very poor in first Test and that is unacceptable, as simple as that,” Gillespie said adding that the bowlers will play this match with a new approach in order to make an all-out effort to take 20 wickets.

“We want to be ruthless with discipline and line and length. We want to keep going at the [opponent] batsmen. We want to keep hitting good spots on the pitch, challenging the opposition’s defence constantly again and again.”

Commenting on the exclusion of left-armer Shaheen who struggled in the first Test with 2-88 in 30 overs, Gillespie said the 30-Test pacer needed time to spend with his new-born son and rest of the family.

“Obviously, Shaheen will miss out on this Test. We had a good chat with him and he fully understood and appreciated the thinking behind the decision. We are just looking at what our best combination is [for the second Test],” the coach said.

“This decision was made keeping in view both personal and professional factors and Shaheen’s workload. He is a new father and needs good time to spend with the family.”

The Pakistan coach further said that Shaheen was working to improve his bowling to become as effective as possible. “In this regard he has been working very well with assistant coach Azhar Mahmood.”

Shaheen, who made his Test debut in December 2018 against New Zealand at Abu Dhabi, gradually became Pakistan’s frontline paceman across all formats. However, the player’s form has dipped in the past couple of years amid physical fitness (knee) issues.

Since March 2022 to date, Shaheen played nine Test matches taking only 29 wickets at an ordinary average of 36.55 with 4-58 being his best show during this period.

Talking about the batting, Gillespie said that there was a need to play positively.

“It’s about energy, your body language … being busy when batting, getting up to other end, you can score singles and doubles,” he said.

“We have learnt [the] lessons in the first match, we will apply those in this game. We are up for the battle and really looking forward to it. “

Gillespie lauded captain Shan Masood’s approach.

“Shan is a positive captain. He made the [bold] decision of declaring the [first] innings early to win the first Test,” the coach said. “[However] Bangladesh played well and credit to them.

He continued, “Now all the team members will have to take the responsibility. We are well prepared for this Test.”

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathur­usinghe meanwhile sounded upbeat saying his side could repeat heroics from the first Test.

“Obviously beating Pakistan in Pakistan is not an easy task,” he said. “[But] the morale of the players is very, very good,”

Despite a huge 10-wicket win in the first Test, Hathurusinghe said, the second Test would be a major challenge for the visitors.

“They are a very strong team and we expect a very good fight in the second Test as well but we will not be different from the first game and know our strength as well as that of Pakistan’s.”

Hathurusinghe also lauded role of Bangladesh’s bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed, saying his experience significantly helped the team in the first Test.

Since gaining Test status in 2000, Bangladesh have only won two of their 32 away series with victories in West Indies (2009) and Zimbabwe (2021). They lost 27 and drew three.

Bangladesh’s pace attack will be boosted by the return of experienced Taskin Ahmed who recovered from a shoulder injury but will have a tie with Nahid Rana for a place in the final XI.

Pakistan 12-member squad for second Test: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2024