Bangladesh’s cricket team is set to begin a two-Test series against Pakistan, but the team’s preparations have been disrupted by political turmoil in their home country. The recent unrest forced the team’s foreign coaches to stay indoors, following advisories from their embassies. Mass protests also prevented the team from holding practice sessions. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is facing uncertainty as president Nazmul Hassan fled the country due to his association with the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Despite the challenging situation, star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been allowed to participate in the Pakistan series by the interim government.
The Pakistan Cricket Board provided some relief to the Bangladesh team by inviting them to arrive four days early to make up for their lack of practice. A second-string Bangladesh squad has been playing practice games in Islamabad since August 10, including six players from the national team. However, opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy has been ruled out of the first Test due to a groin strain, while Mushfiqur Rahim is expected to recover from a finger injury in time for the series. Bangladesh will be looking to secure their first Test victory against Pakistan, having lost 12 out of 13 matches against them, with just one draw.
The Test series is part of the World Test Championship’s third cycle, with Pakistan currently ranked sixth and Bangladesh eighth in the nine-team table. The matches were moved to Rawalpindi due to construction work at the Karachi stadium. Pakistan has made significant changes to their team, including hiring former Australian cricketer Jason Gillespie as Test coach and Adelaide groundsman Damien Hough to improve pitch conditions. For the upcoming Tests, Pakistan will rely on an all-pace attack, while Bangladesh will bank on their spinners Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul Islam, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood expressed confidence in his team’s preparedness and respect for the challenges that Bangladesh brings. He emphasized the importance of both teams playing their best cricket. Masood also mentioned the excitement of seeing improvements under the new coaching staff, with the goal of becoming one of the top teams in the world. The squads for the series include prominent players from both sides, such as Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi for Pakistan, and Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan for Bangladesh. With both teams eager to perform well, the series promises to be an intense and competitive battle between two cricket-loving nations.
