Bangladesh are hoping to secure a first Test-series victory over Pakistan, who have left out star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi for the second match starting in Rawalpindi on Friday.
The visitors upset a normally formidable home team with a clinical ten-wicket display in the first Test — Bangladesh’s first win in over 14 encounters against Pakistan.
But the hosts have been struggling through a lean spell of late, bowing out early in this year’s T20 World Cup. Their last Test series was a whitewash in a three-match tour to Australia.
Star pacer Afridi struggled to find his rhythm through much of the innings, with Pakistan’s head coach Jason Gillespie saying he will be rested to allow him to spend time with his new-born son and family.
“Obviously Shaheen will miss out on this game. We had a good conversation with him and he fully understands and appreciates the thinking behind it. We are just looking at what our best combination is for this game,” Gillespie said.
The home team have recalled spinner Abrar Ahmed after going with an all-pace attack in the first Test.
Former Australian pacer Gillespie admitted it will be a challenge to square the series.
“We want to go out there and play positive,” said Gillespie, who is in his first series with Pakistan. “It’s about scoring lots of singles and with our bowling we want to be ruthless and challenging the opposition batters.”
But he backed under-pressure skipper Shan Masood who failed with the bat with six and 14 in the first match, and has lost all four of his Tests as captain.
“Shan is a very positive captain,” said Gillespie.
“He wants to play and win games …. we showed that with our intent in the first game but it didn’t quite work out and that’s credit to our opposition.
“That game is gone, but what we can do is focus on the game starting tomorrow.