A tumultuous start to the first Test match between Bangladesh and Pakistan in Rawalpindi was defined by a wet outfield that delayed the toss by a whopping four hours. Despite a relatively rain-free Wednesday morning, a troublesome damp spot in the short fine leg/mid-off region caused a significant delay in proceedings. The persistent rain in the lead-up to the match, coupled with the washed-out first day of the Bangladesh A’s game against Pakistan A, set the stage for a drama-filled start to the highly anticipated clash.
As the teams finally took the field, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bowl first on a well-grassed Rawalpindi pitch. His decision was based on the expectation of early moisture that his fast bowlers could exploit. Pakistan captain Shan Masood, on the other hand, expressed that he too would have preferred to bowl first in such conditions.
In their quest for the right balance, Bangladesh opted for a lineup that featured three quicks and two spin-bowling allrounders in Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. This strategic choice meant that there was no room for the left-arm spin of Taijul Islam. The inclusion of Nahid Rana alongside Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud in the seam attack saw Khaled Ahmed missing out on a spot in the playing XI. Shadman Islam was slotted in at the top of the batting order in place of the injured Mahmudul Hasan Joy, while Mushfiqur Rahim returned to the middle order after recovering from a thumb injury that had sidelined him during the home series against Sri Lanka.
On the other side, Pakistan had announced their XI well in advance, with four seamers including the returning Naseem Shah, making his comeback to Test Cricket after a prolonged shoulder injury layoff. Mohammad Ali, who last featured in a Test match during the home series against England in 2022, was also included in the lineup. Allrounder Salman Ali Agha was the sole spinner in the Pakistani bowling attack.
The official team lineups for both sides featured an intriguing mix of talent and experience:
– Pakistan: 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Khurram Shahzad, 11 Mohammad Ali
– Bangladesh: 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Nahid Rana
The anticipation and excitement surrounding the match were palpable as the teams finally took the field after the lengthy delay caused by the wet outfield. With both sides fielding strong lineups, the stage was set for an enthralling battle between bat and ball in the first Test of the series. Cricket fans around the world eagerly awaited the unfolding drama and action that was sure to follow in Rawalpindi.
