The highly anticipated two-match Test series between Bangladesh and South Africa is all set to kick off on October 21 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
The series was supposed to have added significance as a farewell match for veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. However, safety concerns and political unrest have forced Shakib to be unavailable for the series.
The Bangla Tigers are looking to bounce back after a recent whitewash against India, and they see the series against the Proteas as a fresh start.
On the other hand, South Africa has had a mixed year in red-ball cricket. After suffering defeats against New Zealand with a second-string squad, they bounced back against the West Indies. With regular captain Temba Bavuma ruled out due to injury, Aiden Markram will lead the Proteas in the Test series.
The pitch at Mirpur is expected to favor batters initially with good bounce and pace. However, the live grass on the track could provide a challenge for batters in the morning sessions. As the match progresses, the pitch is likely to slow down and assist spin bowlers.
In Shakib’s absence, left-arm spinner Murad Hasan joins the Bangladesh squad. The rest of the Bangladeshi squad is expected to remain the same as the one that played in Kanpur.
Predicted Bangladesh XI: Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Murad Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed.
South Africa is likely to bring in Lungi Ngidi for Dewald Brewis to bolster their pace-bowling attack.
It promises to be an exciting series between two competitive teams, and fans can’t wait for the action to unfold on the field.