[In pictures] “Strength through discipline” - Babar Azam trains hard ahead of Test series against Bangladesh
Former Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam is putting in a lot of hard work, as the Men in Green prepare to square off against Bangladesh in the two-match Test series. The first match is scheduled to start on August 21 in Rawalpindi, followed by the second game in Karachi, beginning on August 30.
This is Pakistan's first assignment after the 2024 T20 World Cup. The Men in Green had a poor outing, as they failed to qualify for the Super Eights. Babar Azam scored 122 runs in four games at a strike rate of 101.66 and came under scrutiny for his approach.
Now, a week before the first game against Bangladesh, the right-handed batter has shared pictures from practice sessions. In the images, he was seen training in nets and doing fielding drills. Babar captioned the post:
“Strength Through Discipline.”
Babar Azam has represented his nation in 52 Tests, scoring 3898 runs at an average of 45.86 with nine centuries to his name.
Shan Masood to lead Pakistan in the Bangladesh Test series
Shan Masood will continue to lead Pakistan, while Saud Shakeel has been appointed as his deputy. This is Pakistan’s first Test series since the Benaud-Qadir Trophy 2023-24 against Australia. The Aussies were all over Pakistan, as they won the series 3-0.
The Pakistan cricket team will look to start fresh on their home turf. The two-match series will be crucial for them in their quest to reach the World Test Championship final. Pakistan is currently fifth in the standings and will look to boost their chances by winning the series against Bangladesh.
Pakistan squad for two-game Test series against Bangladesh:
Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal (subject to Fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), and Shaheen Shah Afridi.