Bangladesh are poised to take on Pakistan in the first Test of their two-match series, starting today (Wednesday) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 11:30 AM Bangladesh time.
Under the leadership of Shan Masood, Pakistan have an impeccable record against Bangladesh, having triumphed in 12 out of their 13 encounters. Meanwhile, Bangladesh, having faced challenging times recently, will be eager to secure their first Test victory against Pakistan.
This will be a two-match series between the two Asian teams, with crucial World Test Championship (2023-25) points up for grabs. Neither Pakistan nor Bangladesh have ever qualified for the WTC Final. Looking at their performance in the current WTC cycle, Pakistan are currently sixth in the points table with 36.67% points, while Bangladesh are eighth with 25% points.
In recent years, Pakistan have struggled to perform consistently in international cricket. They exited early from the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 after a surprising defeat to the USA and faced difficulties against Canada and Ireland. The Pakistani squad, featuring prominent players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, will be looking to dominate Bangladesh.
Conversely, Bangladesh will enter the series with a youthful squad, bolstered by seasoned players such as Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan. Led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, they will rely on the bowling prowess of Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed. Litton Das, a key figure in Bangladesh’s batting line-up, will aim to deliver a significant performance.
The key match-ups in this match include Najmul Hossain Shanto versus Shan Masood. Additionally, the contest between Bangladesh’s spinners and Pakistan’s batsmen promises to be intriguing. Historically, Pakistan and Bangladesh have faced each other 13 times in Test cricket, with Pakistan winning 12 matches and one match ending in a draw.
The draw took place back in 2015 in Khulna. After facing a 296-run deficit, Bangladesh came out with a counterattacking approach. Tamim Iqbal led the charge with a magnificent double-century - one of the finest innings by a Bangladesh batsman in Tests.
