![Pakistan Test cricket team [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1778827752711_PakistanTestcricketteam(1).jpg?type=hq)
Pakistan Test cricket team [Source: AFP]
The Pakistan vs Bangladesh 1st Test resulted in a loss for the visitors as Bangladesh wrapped up a solid win at their home ground.
The 2nd Test is scheduled for May 16 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium and will start from 9 PM IST. Ahead of the clash, Pakistan would need to regroup, especially with their batting unit, which crumbled miserably under Bangladesh's bowling attack.
While players like Azan Awais, Mohammad Rizwan, and Abdullah Fazal did reasonably well in the match, many veteran players, namely skipper Shan Masood himself, Saud Shakeel, and Imam-ul-Haq, need to recheck their approach ahead of the next encounter.
With the teams ready to battle it out in the final Test match of the series, Pakistan would like a win against Bangladesh in the 2nd Test to save their pride and draw the series.
However, if Bangladesh win, they will whitewash the visitors 2-0. Hence, to avoid a series sweep, let’s take a look at Pakistan's predicted playing XI vs Bangladesh in the second Test.
Pakistan Playing XI vs Bangladesh, 2nd Test 2026
Top Order: Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Fazal, Babar Azam
The opening combination is likely to continue with youngster Azan Awais, who scored an impressive century in Pakistan's first innings in the first Test.
Imam-ul-Haq, although inconsistent and having a meagre score to his tally, would likely continue to open given his experience as a veteran opener for the Men in Green.
Abdullah Fazal, another young blood, is likely to be given a chance to slot in at number three, as in the previous Test. His tally of 126 runs from the two innings he batted was impressive and could build solid resilience after any early tumble.
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Now, addressing the elephant in the room, according to a report by Geo News, Pakistan is set to make changes by bringing in Babar Azam in the playing XI after he recovered from the knee injury that ruled him out of the opening match.
Babar would likely come in to bat at number four, one of his most comfortable positions in Test whites, without replacing Imam-ul-Haq at the top.
Babar's inclusion, however, might see Saud Shakeel dropped from the playing XI, who managed a paltry 15 runs from his two innings in the Dhaka Test.
Middle Order & All-Rounders: Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan
Shan Masood is likely to continue at number five as the skipper of the team despite his poor performance in the first Test. Masood scored 11 runs in the two innings he batted in Dhaka and would like to turn things around by contributing a much larger share of runs.
Mohammad Rizwan would be suitable for the number five or number six batting position, interchangeable with Salman Agha. Rizwan was a solid resistance for Pakistan in the previous outing, where he scored a 79-ball 59 in the first innings and a 46-ball 15 to keep the game going.
Meanwhile, Salman Agha was relatively a bit more attacking in the middle order, which will be useful if Pakistan gets stuck against the crafty Bangladesh spinners.
Replacing Noman Ali, Sajid Khan could get a call-up in the second Test given his all-around prowess. It has now been established that the Men in Green are certainly weak with their batting on Bangladesh grounds, and hence having an extra handy batter at their expense should not hurt anyone.
Sajid Khan can bat and is a crafty spin bowler who has taken multiple crucial wickets in earlier Test matches as well. Being a Test veteran, Sajid's inclusion might be a good choice for PCB if Sylhet appears to be a turning track.
Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas
Shaheen Afridi picked up good numbers in the first Test, taking three wickets in the first innings and two in the second. He was economical as well, while keeping his line and length tight.
Being the frontline pacer for the Men in Green, Shaheen’s place is sealed, with veteran pacers Hasan Ali and Mohammad Abbas likely to be included as in the previous match.
Hasan Ali and Abbas too had impressive outings, with Hasan picking up one wicket in the first innings and three in the second, while Abbas scalped five wickets in the first innings to dismantle Bangladesh's middle and lower-middle order.
Although the pace unit looks heavier, the final combination will depend on the nature of the Sylhet pitch. If Sylhet turns out to be a spinner-friendly surface, Mohammad Abbas might be rested, and Noman Ali could retain his place in the playing XI as the primary spinner for the Sylhet Test, giving Pakistan a balanced combination of two pacers and two spinners.
Pakistan Playing XI vs Bangladesh- Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Fazal, Babar Azam, Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas
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