Bangladesh bowl, with Taskin Ahmed back; Pakistan rest Naseem Shah

After rain had washed out the opening day, a warm and sunny morning greeted the teams on the second day of the second Test in Rawalpindi. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss in what is now a four-day Test, and had no hesitation in opting to bowl first against a Pakistan side that is without Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.

“There is a little bit of moisture in the pitch that should help our seamers,” Shanto said. Bangladesh made one change to the side that won the first Test. A fit-again Taksin Ahmed replaced Shoriful Islam, who is out with a groin niggle.

“We would have also bowled first, as the pitch has been under the covers,” Pakistan captain Shan Masood said. “There is a little bit more grass coverage on this pitch.”

Pakistan, who had already left out Afridi from their XII, “rested” Naseem as well. Legspinner Abrar Ahmed and left-arm seamer  Mir Hamza replaced them. With six Tests under his belt, Abrar is the most experienced of Pakistan’s frontline bowlers.

Bangladesh lead the two-match series 1-0 after registering their first Test win over Pakistan in the previous game. A win or a draw here will give them a rare series win away from home.

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique,  Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (capt), Babar Azam,  Saud Shakeel,  Mohammad Rizwan (wk),  Salman Ali Agha,  Abrar Ahmed,  Mir Hamza,  Mohammad Ali,  Khurram Shahzad

Bangladesh:  Shadman Islam,  Zakir Hasan,  Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt),  Mominul Haque,  Mushfiqur Rahim,  Shakib Al Hasan,  Litton Das (wk),  Mehidy Hasan Miraz,  Taskin Ahmed,  Hasan Mahmud,  Nahid Rana

[Cricinfo]