Pakistan vs Bangladesh, 1st Test Match Preview, Prediction and Live Streaming

A plethora of changes was expected when Pakistan were disgraced out of the recent T20 World Cup. Surprisingly, not a lot of major changes were seen within the team. But that does not change the fact that fans and pundits of the game in the country, have their anger simmering on low heat. The calm after the World Cup in Pakistan was, perhaps, a negotiation between the team and the fans. You get a rejuvenated team that plays up to its potential. We get a couple of months of quiet. But, as they say, the moment of truth has finally come. Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium awaits both teams to meet and answer a couple of stumpers for it.

Bangladesh, too, were not treated too graciously at the World Cup. Although they made it to the Super Eight stage, their ousting was equally humiliating. (Luckily) they don’t have face-saving to do (though it is largely because there is no one in their cricket board to hold them accountable since the country has more pressing tasks on its mind). But the World Test Championship (WTC) does not stop with any sort of political unrest. They still have to hustle to stay in contention for the final and for that, the team needs to give Pakistan a run for their money.

Team Overview:

Pakistan announced their playing XI a couple of days before the match. They might not be staunch followers of Bazball-ism, but there is some thrill involved in showing the opponents that they have their strategy mapped out. The playing XI looks decent, undoubtedly. They will be going with an all-pace attack with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Ali, and Khurram Shehzad looking to make the most of the expected green pitch in Rawalpindi. Salman Ali Agha will join them by taking responsibility for the spin department. As for the batting line, the Shan Masood-led team has six specialist batsmen in addition to Salman’s late order batting skills. Nevertheless, Aamer Jamal, who is out with a back injury, will be missed dearly, after what he did in Australia earlier this year.

Bangladesh’s batting form has struggled to exert dominance lately. Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s sick leave does not make the situation better. His replacement, Shadman Islam, last played a Test match in March 2022. Besides Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Mominul Haque, no other batter could be counted on to pose a threat to Pakistan’s pace-heavy bowling lineup.

Head-to-Head Matches:

Pakistan has taken on Bangladesh 12 times in the longest format of cricket. The men in green have won 11 out of these 12 encounters, with one game ending as a draw.

Weather and Pitch Report:

The last Test series played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium saw run galore in its purest form. However, this time the reports and rumors have it that the Rawalpindi Stadium pitch has been curated to assist bowlers with a layer of grass. However, the track will have something for the batters as well, especially as the game progresses.

The weather in Rawalpindi will likely stay humid with rain forecasts throughout the Test match.