Pakistan Test - sportstiger

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Pakistan have announced their 12-member contingent for the first Test against Bangladesh. The five-day contest will begin at the Ch. Zahoor Ahmed Cricket Stadium, Chittagong on Friday. The Test series succeeds the three-match T20I series between the same two nations which was bagged by Pakistan 3-0.

The Men in Green will be without star leg-spinner Yasir Shah who has been out with an injury since September. The leggie has been a vital cog in the wheel of the Pakistan Test cricket since 2014, having scalped 235 wickets in 46 Test matches. Despite the recent form in white-ball cricket and stats which show they are favourites against the host country, Pakistan captain Babar Azam has said that they are not taking Bangladesh lightly.

"Conditions here are different [than Pakistan is used to] hence we cannot take Bangladesh lightly," he said addressing a press conference.

"These conditions are a bit difficult and batters have to stick around on the crease to get settled," he added.

As far as Bangladesh are concerned, they will also be without all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan who sustained a hamstring injury during the T20 World Cup in Oman and UAE. However, he has been included in the Test side in hope that he could be fit and fine for the second Test beginning on December 4 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.

In addition, Tamim Iqbal is also missing from the Bangladesh squad as he continues to recover from an injury he sustained earlier. He is set to remain out of action for a few months as confirmed by a Bangladesh Cricket Board official.

"The way everyone has put in the efforts, credit goes to the players. You can always improve. Like our fielding has improved, our middle order has won games for us. Whatever mistakes we made, we want to make sure we don't repeat them in the upcoming games. We want to carry this momentum into the Test matches. I want to thank the fans here," Babar had said after Pakistan completed a clean sweep over Bangladesh.

Pakistan' 12-member squad for first Test vs Bangladesh: Babar Azam (Captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi