The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a 17-member Test squad for the upcoming home series against Bangladesh, which includes the return of fast bowler Naseem Shah.

Naseem Shah, who had been sidelined for 13 months due to a shoulder injury, will make his comeback to the Test side for the two-match series. The pacer had missed the Asia Cup and the ICC Cricket World Cup last year after sustaining the injury during a match against India in Colombo.

The first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium starting on August 21 while the second Test is scheduled to commence on August 30 in Karachi.

According to the PCB, the training camp for the series will commence on August 11 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium under the supervision of red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood.

The Bangladesh cricket team is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on August 17 and is expected to begin training on the same day.

Shan Masood will continue to lead the Pakistan Test side while left-handed middle-order batter Saud Shakeel has been appointed as the new vice-captain, replacing ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi. The PCB stated that the strategic decision is aimed at managing Shaheen’s workload during a busy period for the national team.

The squad also sees the inclusion of three new faces – Mohammad Huraira, Kamran Ghulam, and Mohammad Ali – who have been rewarded for their consistent performances in the domestic circuit and for the Pakistan Shaheens.

The first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played in Rawalpindi on August 21, followed by the second match in Karachi starting on August 30.

Openers Imamul Haq and Faheem Ashraf, as well as Hasan Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan have all failed to retain their places in the squad.

The PCB’s statement also revealed that Saud Shakeel has been given the additional responsibility of leading the Pakistan Shaheens (A-team) in their match against Bangladesh ‘A’. The board mentioned that a revised schedule for the Shaheens-Bangladesh ‘A’ fixture will be announced later.