The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the tickets for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh will start from a minimum rate of PKR 50, reportedly due to witnessing low attendance in the PSL Eliminator and final this year. The ticket prices for the full hospitality box goes up to PKR 250,000.
The PSL 2024 final between Multan Sultans and Islamabad United in Karachi on Monday saw empty stands as pictures from the social media went viral. The same was the state during the playoffs as experts displayed concerns about the same. Ex-Pakistan speedster and captain Wasim Akram notably said he was embarrassed to see hardly any fans in the playoffs.
Pakistan are currently teetering at the 5th spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings and must win the two matches against Bangladesh to stand a chance at reaching the final. However, Shan Masood's men will also host Pakistan in 3 more Tests following this Bangladesh have also won only 1 match in this cycle and are 8th.
Squads for Pakistan vs Bangladesh Test series:
Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumar Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed.
Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal (subject to Fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Afridi