Pakistan Shaheens ready to face Bangladesh A in Darwin's red-ball clash

The Pakistan Shaheens, led by Sahibzada Farhan, are set to face Bangladesh 'A' in the first of two four-day matches in Darwin, Australia, starting Friday, July 19. The second match will begin the following Friday, July 26, followed by two One-Day matches on August 4 and 6, and the nine-team Top End T20 series from August 9-18.

This series marks the first meeting between the development sides of Pakistan and Bangladesh since 2008. Sixteen years ago, the Pakistan Academy team toured Bangladesh and won both matches by eight wickets against the Bangladesh Academy side.

Sahibzada Farhan expressed his delight in leading the Shaheens side, anticipating a great challenge ahead. He also praised Jason Gillespie as their coach and commended the talent of his fellow players.

“I’m delighted to be leading the Pakistan Shaheens side in the series and I look forward to an exciting challenge which the Bangladesh ‘A’ team poses in what will be new playing conditions for us," Farhan said.

“The team has prepared very well in the Karachi camp, and the training sessions in Darwin have been helpful in acclimatising to the conditions. The presence of Jason Gillespie is a huge boost for the talented bunch of players, and we are eager to prove our mettle in both the four-day matches,” he added.

The Pakistan Shaheens arrived in Darwin on July 15 after a six-day intensive training camp at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre in Karachi under the guidance of Pakistan men’s red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie.

This tour will be Pakistan Shaheen's third red-ball series in three years, following tours to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in 2021 and 2023, respectively. During the last red-ball tour to Zimbabwe, standout performances included Mehran Mumtaz taking 15 wickets and Omair bin Yousuf scoring 348 runs.

Among the current squad, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Omair bin Yousuf, and Shahnawaz Dahani have previously represented the Shaheens in red-ball cricket. Additionally, Ali, Khurram, and Umar have played in Test matches for Pakistan.

The two four-day matches against Bangladesh 'A' in Darwin are crucial for the players, providing valuable experience and exposure ahead of a busy red-ball season, which includes Tests against Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and the West Indies from August 2024 to January 2025.

Pakistan Shaheens squad: Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Faisal Akram, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mubasir Khan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir and Umar Amin.

Bangladesh ‘A’ squad: Mahmudul Hasan Joy (captain), Aich Mollah, Amite Hasan, Ariful Islam, Hasan Murad, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Maruf Mridha, Md Mukidul Islam, Parvez Hossain Emon, Rakibul Hasan, Rezaur Rehman Raja, Ripon Mondal, Sahadat Hossain Dipu, Shadaman Islam, Sk Pervez Rahman Jobon