Pakistan reveals playing XI for Bangladesh Test

Star batter Babar Azam will continue to bat at No.4 as Pakistan named their playing XI for the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.

Babar spent much of his early Test career batting at No.3 and there was speculation that the right-hander may return to that spot under new coach Jason Gillespie.

But Pakistan have resisted the urge to move the No.3 ranked Test batter, with Babar to stay at second drop for the first contest of the side’s crucial ICC World Test Championship series against Bangladesh on home soil.

It means Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub will open the batting in the first Test that commences today with Skipper Shan Masood coming in at No.3 and Babar in his preferred position at No.4.

Vice-Captain Saud Shakeel will bat at No.5 and experienced keeper Mohammad Rizwan at six, with Pakistan opting for a four-player pace attack that consists of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali and no specialist spinner in their XI.
Pakistan XI for first Test: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (Captain), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali and Khurram Shahzad. 

(ICC)