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Latif leading Pak to new era as Bangladesh brace for Test
Karachi, Aug 19: New-look Pakistan will be aiming to celebrate the first Test held on Pakistani soil for more than a year with a big win over hapless minnows Bangladesh here.
Karachi, Aug 19: New-look Pakistan will be aiming to celebrate the first Test held on Pakistani soil for more than a year with a big win over hapless minnows Bangladesh here.
Rashid Latif leads a youthful Pakistan side against Bangladesh in the first of three Tests starting at the National Stadium here from tomorrow.
The 15-man squad includes seven uncapped players as Pakistan continue the rebuilding process following their first-round exit from this year's World Cup in South Africa. "This is a new side full of talent and has done well in one-day tournaments and now we hope that the new boys put the team on the right track with this Test," said Latif, whose fourth Test as captain will be his first on home soil.
The destructive pace pair of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, who shared 787 wickets in 191 Tests between them, will not be there. Wasim, the highest wicket taker in one-day games with 503 scalps, announced his retirement three months ago while Waqar has been cast in the wilderness by Pakistan's selectors.
Opener Saeed Anwar bade farewell to international cricket last week while experienced off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq was not available due to commitments with English county Surrey.
Exciting all rounder Mohammad Hafeez has already made an impact during Pakistan's triumph in the quadrangular one-day tournament in Sharjah in April.
Pakistan finished runners-up in a tri-nation series in Sri Lanka in May and were then edged out 2-1 in a close one-day series in England in June.
Bureau Report
The 15-man squad includes seven uncapped players as Pakistan continue the rebuilding process following their first-round exit from this year's World Cup in South Africa. "This is a new side full of talent and has done well in one-day tournaments and now we hope that the new boys put the team on the right track with this Test," said Latif, whose fourth Test as captain will be his first on home soil.
The destructive pace pair of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, who shared 787 wickets in 191 Tests between them, will not be there. Wasim, the highest wicket taker in one-day games with 503 scalps, announced his retirement three months ago while Waqar has been cast in the wilderness by Pakistan's selectors.
Opener Saeed Anwar bade farewell to international cricket last week while experienced off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq was not available due to commitments with English county Surrey.
Exciting all rounder Mohammad Hafeez has already made an impact during Pakistan's triumph in the quadrangular one-day tournament in Sharjah in April.
Pakistan finished runners-up in a tri-nation series in Sri Lanka in May and were then edged out 2-1 in a close one-day series in England in June.
Bureau Report