Pakistan and Bangladesh open a two-Test series in Mirpur on Friday, with both teams talking up the same old Test truth: take 20 wickets, and you give yourself a chance. For Pakistan, the first ball arrives with the memory of August 2024 still hanging over them after Bangladesh whitewashed them at home, winning the two-match series in Rawalpindi by 10 wickets and six wickets.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood said his side was fully focused on the tour and on the challenge of playing Bangladesh in their own conditions. He said Pakistan had selected a well-balanced squad with experience in both seam-friendly and spin-friendly environments, and added that the team had confidence in its bowling attack and combination. Masood also said Test cricket is ultimately about taking 20 wickets, while stressing that strong collective batting, bowling and fielding would be needed to get results.
That message matters because Pakistan are trying to steady a Test side that was rattled by Bangladesh less than a year ago, and because the opener may begin without Babar Azam. Babar, who had a rich run of form in the recent HBL Pakistan Super League 2026, underwent a scan after Pakistan’s practice session on Thursday and his fitness for the series opener was still to be confirmed. Pakistan’s squad also includes Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, giving Masood options across pace and spin if Babar is unavailable.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, are leaning into home conditions of their own. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said the key for his side is to post big first-innings totals so their pace attack has the platform to take 20 wickets. He said Bangladesh’s fast bowlers hold a slight edge over Pakistan’s attack, and the home squad has been strengthened by the return of Taskin Ahmed from injury. Bangladesh also have opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim in the batting group, alongside Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and Nahid Rana.
Shanto’s view also hints at the main tension in this series: Bangladesh are not relying only on spin in Mirpur, and Pakistan are not arriving as a team that can assume familiar subcontinent conditions will help them. The sides know each other’s strengths now. Pakistan know what happened in Rawalpindi. Bangladesh know they have already proven they can travel to the other side of the match-up and win.
That is why Friday’s first Test is about more than a series opener. For Pakistan, it is a chance to show that their bowling attack can control a match away from home and that their batting can back it up. For Bangladesh, it is an early test of whether their pace unit, led by Taskin and Nahid, can make home conditions feel like a weapon again.