On Saturday (1st February), both Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have announced the squads for the upcoming Rawalpindi Test. The Test match will commence from February 7.
After the conclusion of the three-match T20I series in last week between the hosts Pakistan and the visitors Bangladesh, now both teams are getting ready for the Rawalpindi Test. Though it will be the two-match Test series, they will play the second and final game of this series at National Stadium (Karachi) from 5th April. This Test series will be the part of 2019-21 ICC World Test Championship.
The Rawalpindi Test will be the first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh since May 2015. While they have played 10 Tests till the date, Pakistan have won nine matches, and one had ended in a draw.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh last time played a Test match in Pakistan back in September 2003. Though Bangladesh lost all the four Tests in this country, their last Test was very memorable where they came very close to register their first-ever Test victory. It was the thrilling Multan Test that the hosts Pakistan won by one wicket after Inzamam-ul-Haq (138*) batted magnificently in the fourth innings.
Bilal Asif and Faheem Ashraf return to the Pakistan squad:
Talking about the 16-member Pakistan squad for the Rawalpindi Test, Bilal Asif and Faheem Ashraf have returned to the Test squad. At the same time, Kashif Bhatti and Usman Shinwari have been dropped from the previous Test squad against Sri Lanka.
Tamim Iqbal returns to the Bangladesh Test squad for Rawalpindi Test:
On the other hand, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman are missing in the 14-member Bangladesh Test squad for the forthcoming Rawalpindi Test. Also, Imrul Kayes, Mehidy Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain and Shadman Islam have been dropped from the last Test squad that toured India in last November.
The dependable opener Tamim Iqbal has returned to the Test squad, who last played a Test match in March 2019 during New Zealand tour. Also, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Rubel Hossain and Soumya Sarkar have returned to the Test squad.
Before the upcoming Test series, the hosts Pakistan won the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh by 2-0. Meanwhile, ahead of the second Test at Karachi, Bangladesh will also play only ODI against the hosts Pakistan on 3rd April at the National Stadium (Karachi).
Pakistan Test squad: Azhar Ali (capt), Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Harris Sohail, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Yasir Shah, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Shaheen Afridi, Bilal Asif, Naseem Shah, Faheem Ashraf
Bangladesh Test squad: Mominul Haque (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Abu Jayed, Al-Amin Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Soumya Sarkar.
Two-Match Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh 2020:
7th-11th February: First Test – Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (Rawalpindi)
5th-9th April: Second Test – National Stadium (Karachi)