Sarfaraz Ahmed announced head coach as Pakistan name squad for Bangladesh Test tour

Pakistan have announced a 16-player squad for their two-match Test tour of Bangladesh to be played in May. The selectors have picked four uncapped players for the tour: Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori. Shan Masood will lead the side. The first Test will be played in Mirpur from May 8 to 12, whereas Sylhet will host the second Test from May 16 to 20.

Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, who have been named in the squad, are currently participating in an ongoing NCA Red-Ball Camp in Lahore.

The squad for the Test tour will convene in Karachi on April 27 for a camp. The camp will draw to a close on May 1, and the players are expected to fly over to Bangladesh the following day.

Players who have been named in the Test squad but are currently representing their respective franchises in the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will join the camp after the end of their respective PSL campaigns. Those whose teams advance to the final of the PSL will board a flight to Bangladesh after the end of the tournament.

Pakistan name Sarfaraz Ahmed head coach for Bangladesh tour

Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been appointed as the head coach of the side for the red-ball tour, which is a part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. Former Test players Asad Shafiq and Umar Gul have been named as batting and bowling coaches, respectively.

Sarfaraz remains one of the most decorated captains in the modern-day history of Pakistan cricket. He led Pakistan to the ICC Men's U19 World Cup in 2006 and the Champions Trophy in 2017, beating India on both occasions. He was also the mentor cum manager of the Pakistan U19 team that won the ACC U19 Men's Asia Cup in December last year in Dubai.

Pakistan squad for Test series vs Bangladesh:

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Team management:

Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Sarfaraz Ahmed (head coach), Asad Shafiq (batting coach), Umar Gul (bowling coach), Abdul Saad (fielding coach) Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Lt. Col. (r) Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)