Preview: Bangladesh vs Pakistan 1st Test at Khulna, Apr 28-May 2, 2015
After suffering the 3-0 whitewash in the 50 over series and losing a lone T20 match against the Bangladesh, Pakistan team will try to gain some pride back from the humiliation that they suffered.
However, with the change from color to whites Pakistan will be looking to change there fortunes on this tour which so far looked bleak on this tour.
Pakistan team will do much better with the inclusion of their captain Misbah-ul-haq and Younis Khan in the squad and with Mohammad Hafeez now allowed to bowl in international cricket will be be beneficial along with in-form Azhar Ali will bolster Pakistan middle order in tests.
Sami Aslam a young promise is tipped to make his test debut in the first match at Khulna, having already made his odi debut in the 3rd match making 45 runs, the bowling has always been Pakistan’s core strength had looked off color in the entire tour, Wahab Riaz will lead the attack with Junaid Khan and Saeed Ajmal along with the possibility of the inclusion of Zulfiqar Babar or Yasir Shah, Sarfraz Ahmed who missed the last odi will rejoin the team as well.
Bangladesh will be riding on cloud nine following there whitewash in the limited overs format, but will not take Pakistan lightly, Bangladesh will once again be looking at the experience of Shakib Al Hasan to guide them through with Jubair Hossain and Taijul Islam. Rubael and Shahadat will be looking to finally to leave a mark in the test arena.
Bangladesh’s batting have been in terrific form with Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiq-ur- Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Saumya Sarkar all finding form and are raring to go.
Pitch and conditions:
Spinners had always find it at home at the Sheikh Abu Nasir Stadium, unless someone with high pace creates enough chances, batting will get progressively harder.
Stats:
Pakistan are 8-0 in the tests against Bangladesh, the closest they came was in 2003 at Multan when Inzamam played a blinder to deny them a victory.
Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Soumya Sarkar 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Jubair Hossain, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Shahadat Hossain/ Mohammad Shahid
Pakistan (probable): 1 Sami Aslam, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfaraz Ahmed, 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Junaid Khan, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Zulfiqar Babar