3 takeaways from Bangladesh's squad for Pakistan Test series ft. Shakib's presence
The Bangladesh Cricket Board, on Sunday, August 12, named a 15-member squad to take on Pakistan in a two-match Test series starting in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on August 21.
The squad will be led by skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and sees the return of pacer Taskin Ahmed, who has been away from red-ball cricket for a while, having last played a Test in June 2023 against Afghanistan in Mirpur.
Senior player Shakib Al Hasan is also a part of the squad, and skipper Shanto will rely heavily upon his expertise to do well in the dusty conditions of Pakistan; the second Test will be played in Karachi from August 30.
In this listicle, we take a look at three key takeaways from Bangladesh's squad:
#1 The focus is on adaptability
The Bangladesh selectors have made sure that the focus of this squad is on the adaptability factor which is crucial for them to play and do well in Pakistan. The latter are known for providing rank turners or flat batting surfaces.
If the former is the case, the Bangladeshi batters will have to apply themselves well in order to play long innings; the likes of Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, and skipper Shanto will have to take up a lot of responsibility.
The batting unit, as well as the bowling, will have to make sure that they are well prepared to take on the hosts the best way they can and force them to play out of their comfort zone despite both the conditions and crowds backing them to the hilt.
#2 The presence of five seamers
The return of express fast bowler Taskin Ahmed to the squad means that the selectors have chosen to go with five seamers although the conditions in Pakistan are not quite going to be conducive for them.
Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Syed Khaleel Ahmed, and Hasan Mahmud are the other seamers in the squad alongside the returning Taskin, who had taken a break from red-ball cricket to recover from a shoulder injury he sustained earlier.
The seamers will have their task cut out in the dustbowls in Pakistan and must rely heavily upon their lines and lengths instead of going for out and out pace. Mohammad Saifuddin too would have made it but he is on a mental health break.
#3 The presence of Shakib Al Hasan
The return of senior player Shakib Al Hasan to the Test side after playing a lot of cricket in other formats will bolster the squad a lot; Bangladesh will need him to do well if they intend to defeat Pakistan on their home turf.
The veteran all-rounder did play the series against Sri Lanka at home in March earlier this year and has a stellar record to back him in red-ball cricket. He will be keen on being consistent this time around.
He averages 38 with the bat in hand, with an aggregate of 4,505 runs in the 67 Tests that he has played so far, to go with the 237 wickets he has picked up, including 19 five-wicket hauls.
The squad will also have young pacer Shoriful Islam in the squad; the latter will be keen on showcasing his skills in this format of the game and impressing the selectors, and in turn, hoping for a longer run in the side.