First Test between Pakistan-Bangladesh starts in Rawalpindi tomorrow

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan men’s cricket team will take on Bangladesh in the first of the two-match Test series commencing at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from tomorrow (Wednesday).

The second Test match between the two teams will be played at the same venue from 30 August to 3 September.

Pakistan is currently ranked sixth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. They have played two away series in the championship, winning 2-0 against Sri Lanka and losing 3-0 to Australia.

Pakistan is scheduled to play nine Test matches this season, their busiest Test season since 1998-99. Seven of these Test matches will be played at home, including two against Bangladesh, three against England in October and two against West Indies in January next year. The two away Test matches are against South Africa, which will be played in December/January.

The first Test match against Bangladesh marks Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie’s first international assignment since his appointment in April this year. It will also be Shan Masood’s first Test match as captain on home soil, embarking a new era in red-ball cricket for the team.

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The match will see Shan flipping the coin at 09.30am, with the first ball to be bowled at 10.00am.

To facilitate fans, the tickets are kept at a very nominal pricing and are available online at PCB.tcs.com.pk. Additionally, fans can purchase physical tickets, which is operational from Monday, at the ticket booth located at Aviation Ground, opposite Rescue 1122, Rawal Road.

Pakistan playing XI:

Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (captain), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan(wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali

Bangladesh squad:

Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Hasan Mahmud, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nahid Rana, Nayeem Hasan, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Taijul Islam and Zakir Hasan

Match officials:

Adrian Holdstock and Richard Kettleborough (on-field umpires), Michael Gough (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire) and Ranjan Madugalle (match referee)