Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood has supported the team’s decision to use a pace attack in the first Test against Bangladesh. He explained that this decision was made after analyzing the results of domestic matches played at the venue. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah will lead Pakistan’s pace attack, while Khurram Shehzad and Mohammad Ali will complete the pace quartet. All-rounder Salman Ali Agha is the only spin-bowling option in the final 11 for the opening Test.

Reasons for Choosing Pace Bowlers

Masood said in a pre-match press conference on Tuesday, “In Rawalpindi, whenever we have played domestic cricket, the conditions have favored fast bowlers and batsmen. Spin bowling hasn’t been a big threat. So, we want to continue what we usually do in domestic cricket, which is generally effective in Rawalpindi.”

He also explained the choice of Mohammad Ali over Mir Hamza, saying, “You might debate why one bowler is preferred over another. We considered who could best support Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who are expected to take the new ball. We believe Mohammad Ali is the perfect choice. He hits the deck hard, can swing the ball with seam, and has extra pace. It’s not about one bowler being better than another but about who is most suitable for the conditions.”

Hope for World Test Championship Final

The 34-year-old captain hopes to play in the World Test Championship final and emphasized the need for improvement in the remaining matches of the series. Pakistan is currently sixth in the World Test Championship table with two wins and three losses from five Tests. India is at the top, followed by Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and South Africa.

Masood said, “We need to look at our position in the World Test Championship. Yes, we were sixth and seventh before. We clearly want to play in the final this time. To reach the final, we need to win our home Test matches. To win, we need to take 20 wickets consistently and our batsmen need to score enough runs to give the bowlers time to take those wickets.”

He added, “It’s about playing good and exciting cricket. We all want Test cricket to be enjoyable and exciting for fans and players. We need to bring the same enthusiasm we have for any format. Our challenge is to achieve the right results while playing cricket that everyone finds thrilling.” The first Test of the series will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Pakistan’s Playing XI: Abdullah Shafique, Saeem Ayub, Shan Masood (Captain), Babar Azam, Saud Shakil (Vice-Captain), Mohammad Rizwan (Wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Ali.