Bangladesh–Pakistan Test: Confidence drawn from Rawalpindi memories

Do you remember the Test series in Rawalpindi against Pakistan two years ago? It almost feels like a rhetorical question. Unless one has forgotten it entirely, Bangladesh’s 2–0 Test series victory on Pakistani soil is hardly something to be erased from memory. That triumph remains a landmark chapter in Bangladesh’s cricket history.

Before that series, Bangladesh had gone 13 Tests against Pakistan without a single win. Yet, in one remarkable series, they defeated them twice—on their own home ground. The defeats stunned Pakistan cricket, with many former players, including Wasim Akram, describing the outcome as “embarrassing”.

Following Bangladesh’s dominance over Pakistan’s spin vulnerabilities, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly reacted by altering pitches in their subsequent series against England, using fans and heaters to create spin-friendly conditions.

While Pakistan’s pacers took 19 of the 24 wickets in the two Tests against Bangladesh, spinners claimed 43 of 46 wickets in the three-match series against England.

The Rawalpindi defeat also cast doubt over Shan Masood’s captaincy. Although he retained his position, he continues to lead the side that has now arrived in Bangladesh. Since that last series against Bangladesh, Pakistan have played nine Tests, winning four.

Bangladesh last played Test cricket in November last year against Ireland at home, winning both matches. However, those fixtures were not part of the World Test Championship cycle. In the current cycle, Bangladesh have so far played only one series, away to Sri Lanka in June last year.

The upcoming series against Pakistan, starting on 8 May, offers Bangladesh an opportunity to address long-standing inconsistencies in home Test performances. In the previous World Test Championship cycle, Bangladesh won only one of six home Tests, despite winning three of six away matches.

This time, however, home conditions are under renewed scrutiny. In recent years, Bangladesh’s white-ball success has been built largely around pace bowling, with the team increasingly favouring sporting pitches in ODIs and T20Is. Traditionally reliant on spin at home in Tests, Bangladesh are now shifting away from spin-dominated surfaces.

Ahead of the Pakistan series, the pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium has been prepared with a covering of grass, which was still visible until recently before ground staff rolled it down. The team management has instructed that the surface should offer even assistance to both batters and bowlers. A pace-heavy attack featuring three fast bowlers is expected in the first Test.

During training sessions, both teams closely inspected the pitch conditions on Monday. A brief meeting involving Bangladesh’s coaching staff, captain, and chief selector was held near the wicket. Pakistan’s pace bowling coach Umar Gul also spent considerable time discussing pitch preparation with BCB turf manager Tony Hemming.

Despite improvements in batting performances in recent years, Bangladesh continue to struggle with stability at the top of the order. For this series, aggressive white-ball opener Tanzid Hasan has been given a Test call-up and is likely to make his debut against Pakistan.

Another new face in the squad is Amite Hasan. The middle-order batter, who averages nearly 50 in first-class cricket, joined the national team for training for the first time yesterday.

Expressing his excitement in a short video message provided by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, he said, “I have shared dressing rooms before, but the national team dressing room feels completely different—it is a special feeling.”

Although Amite usually bats at number four in domestic cricket, he may have to adjust his position if he makes his Test debut. A team management official indicated that he was selected with the intention of giving him a role in the playing XI.

For players like Tanzid and Amite, this series marks not only a new beginning but also the start of Bangladesh’s next World Test Championship campaign.

And as history shows, the memory of Rawalpindi continues to provide an added layer of confidence—especially against the same opponent, Pakistan.