Pakistan include four uncapped players for Bangladesh tests

Pakistan included four uncapped players in their squad announced Saturday for next month's two test matches against Bangladesh, and also appointed Sarfaraz Ahmed as head coach.

The matches, part of the World Test Championship (WTC) will be played in Dhaka (May 8-12) and Sylhet (12-16).

Top-order batter Shan Masood will lead the test side, which has promising new players in Azan Awais, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, selected on their good performances in domestic cricket.

Spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan remain Pakistan's main strength with the pace attack including Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali.

The players will undergo a camp in Karachi and are scheduled to fly to Bangladesh on May 2.

Pakistan Cricket Board also appointed Sarfaraz as head coach to the post that was vacant after Azhar Mahmood resigned last year.

"PCB also confirms the appointment of red-ball coaches for the Bangladesh tour, with former test captain Ahmed appointed as head coach with Asad Shafiq and Umar Gul working as batting and bowling coaches, respectively, on the tour," the PCB said in a statement naming the 16-member squad.

Shafiq and Gul are both former Pakistan players.

Pakistan are fifth on the Test Championship table after drawing their two-match series 1-1 at home against South Africa last year.

Squad: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi.