Bowlers capable of taking 20 wickets: Captain Masood

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood yesterday backed his bowlers to deliver the goods against visiting Bangladesh, saying the four pacers named in the side are ‘capable of taking 20 wickets.’Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in the first of the two-match Test series commencing at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from today.The second Test will be played at the same venue from 30 August to 3 September.The first Test match against Bangladesh marks Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie’s first international assignment since his appointment in April this year.It will also be Shan Masood’s first Test match as captain on home soil, embarking a new era in red-ball cricket for the team."Fans always want the cricket team to do well and win matches for them. We are all excited for the series and the great season ahead. We have a talented group of cricketers who are eager to perform well in the series. Our bowlers are capable of taking 20 wickets and helping the team win matches,” captain Masood said yesterday."The series against Bangladesh is very important for us as we prepare for a busy season ahead, and we are determined to perform well. We had some good training sessions leading up to the series, and the coaching staff has worked hard with the players."It is an honour and a privilege to lead the side at home. With captaincy comes great responsibility, and I will do my best to take this team forward,” he addedBangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said yesterday: "We are grateful to the PCB for helping us get some practice here in Lahore. We had a couple of sessions there and I am hopeful the players will do well in the series."The series against Pakistan is very important and we know that Pakistan has great potential. The series is part of the ICC Championship and we know every game is very important. The series between Bangladesh ‘A’ and Shaheens have helped our players to assess the conditions well.”Those who saw Naseem Shah bowl in the four-day match against Bangladesh A last week felt he was beginning to look like the red-ball bowler who last played in July 2023. His three wickets in the first innings included Mominul Haque and Anamul Haque, and in the second, he bowled seven overs in one spell. This was his only first-class outing in the last 12 months but Bangladesh know he will be a major threat. On their previous tour to Pakistan, he had rocked them with a hat-trick on debut.Pakistan are currently ranked sixth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. They have played two away series in the championship, winning 2-0 against Sri Lanka and losing 3-0 to Australia. Pakistan are scheduled to play nine Test matches this season, their busiest Test season since 1998-99. Seven of these Test matches will be played at home, including two against Bangladesh, three against England in October and two against West Indies in January next year.The two away Test matches are against South Africa, which will be played in December/January.SquadsPakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (captain), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohamed Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad and Mohamed AliBangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Hasan Mahmud, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nahid Rana, Nayeem Hasan, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Taijul Islam and Zakir Hasan