The Pakistan Shaheens, captained by Sahibzada Farhan, are set to compete against Bangladesh ‘A’ in the first of two four-day matches in Darwin, Australia, starting on Friday, 19 July. The second four-day match will commence on Friday, 26 July. These matches will be followed by two One-Day matches on 4 and 6 August, and then the nine-team Top End T20 series from 9-18 August.
Historical Context
This marks the first encounter between the development sides of Pakistan and Bangladesh since 2008. Sixteen years ago, Pakistan Academy toured Bangladesh and won both matches by eight wickets against the Bangladesh Academy.
Preparation and Arrival
The Pakistan Shaheens arrived in Darwin on 15 July after an intensive six-day training camp at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre in Karachi. The training was supervised by Pakistan men’s red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie. This will be the Shaheens’ third red-ball series in as many years, following tours to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in 2021 and 2023, respectively. On their last red-ball tour to Zimbabwe, standout performances included Mehran Mumtaz with 15 wickets and Omair bin Yousuf with 348 runs.
Squad Experience
The current squad includes several players with previous red-ball experience for the Shaheens: Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Omair bin Yousuf, and Shahnawaz Dahani. Additionally, Ali, Khurram, and Umar have also played in Test matches for Pakistan.
Series Significance
The two four-day matches in Darwin will provide essential experience and exposure for the players ahead of a busy red-ball season, which includes Tests against Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and West Indies from August 2024 to January 2025.
Captain’s Statement
Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan Shaheens captain, expressed his excitement and confidence:
“I’m delighted to be leading the Pakistan Shaheens side in the series and I look forward to an exciting challenge which the Bangladesh ‘A’ team poses in what will be new playing conditions for us. The team has prepared very well in the Karachi camp and the training sessions in Darwin have been helpful in acclimatising to the conditions. The presence of Jason Gillespie is a huge boost for the talented bunch of players and we are eager to prove our mettle in both the four-day matches.”
Squads
Pakistan Shaheens squad:
- Sahibzada Farhan (captain)
- Faisal Akram
- Haseebullah
- Kamran Ghulam
- Kashif Ali
- Khurram Shahzad
- Mehran Mumtaz
- Mohammad Ali
- Mohammad Huraira
- Mubasir Khan
- Muhammad Irfan Khan
- Omair Bin Yousuf
- Shahnawaz Dahani
- Tayyab Tahir
- Umar Amin
Bangladesh ‘A’ squad:
- Mahmudul Hasan Joy (captain)
- Aich Mollah
- Amite Hasan
- Ariful Islam
- Hasan Murad
- Mahidul Islam Ankon
- Maruf Mridha
- Md Mukidul Islam
- Parvez Hossain Emon
- Rakibul Hasan
- Rezaur Rehman Raja
- Ripon Mondal
- Sahadat Hossain Dipu
- Shadman Islam
- Sk Pervez Rahman Jobon
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