ISLAMABAD – The trophy for the upcoming Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh was unveiled in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood, alongside Bangladesh’s captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, revealed the trophy at Daman-e-Koh.
The two-match Test series will kick off at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, with the second Test scheduled at the same venue from August 30 to September 3.
Currently, Pakistan is ranked sixth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. They have participated in two away series, securing a 2-0 victory against Sri Lanka and suffering a 3-0 defeat to Australia.
This season marks Pakistan’s busiest Test schedule since 1998-99, with nine matches on the calendar. Seven of these will be held at home, including two against Bangladesh, three against England in October, and two against the West Indies in January next year. The remaining two matches, against South Africa, are set for December/January.
The opening Test against Bangladesh also marks the debut of Pakistan’s red-ball head coach, Jason Gillespie, in an international match since his appointment in April. Additionally, it will be Shan Masood’s first Test as captain on home soil, symbolizing a new chapter for Pakistan’s red-ball cricket.
Squads:
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (captain), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Hasan Mahmud, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nahid Rana, Nayeem Hasan, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Taijul Islam, Zakir Hasan.
