Pakistan host Bangladesh in the second and final Test, starting on Friday, August 30, in Rawalpindi. The PAK vs BAN match is all set to decide the fate of the series. Pakistan vs Bangladesh 2nd Test result will reveal if Bangladesh will win their first ever series in Pakistan or if the latter would make a comeback story. After a debacle in the series opener, Pakistan would be looking to salvage pride with a series-levelling win when they take on a high-flying Bangladesh in the second Test in Rawalpindi, starting Friday (August 30).
The match takes place at the same venue and both sides will also witness a high-scoring encounter. Bangladesh is hoping to secure a first Test-series victory over Pakistan, which has left out star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi for the second match starting in Rawalpindi on Friday. The visitor upset a normally formidable home team with a clinical 10-wicket display in the first Test – Bangladesh’s first win in over 14 encounters against Pakistan.
But the host has been struggling through a lean spell of late, bowing out early in this year’s T20 World Cup. Its last Test series was a whitewash in a three-match tour to Australia.
PAK vs BAN : Previous Performances
The first Test was played at the same venue and it turned out to be an attritional affair for the first four days. Pakistan produced a solid batting display in the first innings as Mohammad Rizwan (171) and Saud Shakeel (141) slammed centuries to help the hosts declare on 448/6. They thought they had enough runs in the bank but Bangladesh came out with fire in their bellies and put on a stellar show.
Shadman Islam showed the way at the top of the order as he made a solid 93 while former Test skipper Mominul Haque and Litton Das also contributed with fluent half-centuries. However, the most significant partnership came between Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz as the right-handed batters accumulated 196 runs off 336 balls. The wicketkeeper-batter scored a stupendous 191 off 341 balls, while Mehidy contributed with a 179-ball 77. The visitors took a crucial 117-run first innings before Pakistan finished Day 4 at 23/1.
With the pitch showing no considerable signs of deterioration, it felt that the match would end in a drab draw. However, the Bangladesh bowlers sprinkled life into the contest with a sensational effort on Day 5 as Pakistan lost nine wickets inside two sessions to get bowled out for 146. Mehidy starred with figures of 4/21, while Shakib chipped in with a three-for. Chasing a meagre 30-run target, openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam took their team home in just 6.3 overs. This turned out to be Bangladesh’s first Test win against Pakistan.
Najmul Hossain Shanto’s men will look to take confidence from the monumental victory and produce another impressive performance in the second Test. Meanwhile, Pakistan will have to focus on playing to their full potential in order to avoid an embarrassing series defeat.
PAK vs BAN : Head to Head
| Matches | 14 |
| Won by Pakistan | 12 |
| Won by Bangladesh | 01 |
| Draw | 01 |
| No Result | 00 |
| First-ever Fixture |
August 29, 2001
|
| Most-recent Fixture |
August 21, 2024
|
PAK vs BAN : Pitch Report
The Pakistan vs Bangladesh match takes place at Rawalpindi Stadium in Pakistan. According to weather reports, there is more than a 60% chance of rain on Friday in the city. The pitch reports suggest that the stadium is high-scoring and batters will continue to dominate. The Pacers will get more advantages than spinners.
Pakistan have made no secret of their desire for a pace-friendly wicket, though achieving it proved difficult in the first Test. There will be more than a tinge of grass on this new pitch, but monsoon rain lashed the city in the days since the end of the first Test. More rain is forecast during the game.
It’s likely to be a wet start to the Test match with overnight rain forecast to continue until Friday noon. The pitch at the Pindi stadium eased out for batting as the game progressed, and even aided the slower bowlers in the series opener.
PAK vs BAN : Big Picture : Pakistan in peril as Bangladesh hold the upper hand
Pakistan cricket, right now, isn’t exactly going through a golden era, but few expected the bloody nose Bangladesh gave them last week. For much of that Test match, Pakistan’s chief frustration appeared to be they would end up with a draw, a draw would inhibit their efforts, which captain Shan Masood bullishly talked up in the build-up, at having a real crack at reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Five days later, Pakistan would lose, and to add insult to injury, have half-a-dozen points docked for slow over rates, placing them ever so close to the bottom of the table. A home series defeat to Bangladesh would bring its own ignominy, which has little to do with whether they’re in the race to prove themselves the best Test side in the world. Bangladesh had, until last week, won just six away Tests in a quarter century of being Full Members, two against an enfeebled West Indies in 2009, and another two against Zimbabwe.
Masood suddenly finds himself in a battle for the captaincy so soon after assuming it, having lost each of the four Tests he’s been in charge. While flashes of quality against Australia over the winter meant the overall result could potentially be overlooked in favour of a long-term plan, such forgiveness will not come if Pakistan drop a home series against Bangladesh.
With a busy time ahead that includes the sterner challenges of England and South Africa, ensuring they avoid handing this Test trophy over next week remains the bare minimum for this red-ball side to retain credibility with its supporters.
That task is complicated by the weather in Rawalpindi once more. Rain forced the cancellation of practice sessions on the eve of the game, with more forecast for the first day. It has led Pakistan to hesitate before officially confirming a spinner for the Test, naming a 12-man squad with Abrar Ahmed and Mir Hamza both in contention. Masood pointed out Pakistan were the more proactive side last week, and with Bangladesh only needing a draw, his side will have to find a way to repeat that while also ensuring they get a better result.
And what, really, can you say about the position Bangladesh have created for themselves Najmul Hossain Shanto’s side outplayed as well as outthought the hosts, doing the basics right. Like making sure they had spinners in case they came in handy on the final day, which they did. Or not leaving runs out by declaring early owing to ultimately unrealized concerns it might rain, which it did not. They let Pakistan’s wobbles do the rest, and the ten-wicket win was as clinical as it was merited.
There are more important things going on back home, but the uncomplicated joy of last week was as welcome as it was unexpected. This, remember, is not a vintage Bangladesh side, and did not come in saddled with high expectations.
They came in last week, saw an opponent making unforced errors and didn’t interrupt them. They didn’t get sucked into playing fashionably aggressive cricket, or bullied into doing anything they didn’t want to do. They had no qualms about batting at under three runs an over for large parts of the first innings, and when Pakistan turned to declaration bowling, they simply didn’t declare.
It secured Bangladesh arguably their greatest Test win, but they will know they need to hold off on wild celebrations for now. With one Test on the horizon and no clear signs Pakistan will be able to produce the pitch they want, all Bangladesh may need to do is pick up where they left off in the first Test. Pakistan must make all the moves, and as Bangladesh demonstrated, they are not going to be displaced too easily.
PAK vs BAN: Vital Stats that matters
- Mushfiqur, who was named Player of the Match in the first Test, is the only Bangladesh player to have taken part in all seven of his nation’s away Test wins
- Since the start of 2023, Babar averages 21.15 in 13 Test innings with a highest score of 41
PAK vs BAN : Team News
Pakistan
One day ahead of the encounter, the hosts have named a 12-member squad to choose from. However, a notable absentee from the side is Shaheen Shah Afridi, who failed to live up to his potential in the first encounter. Meanwhile, Abrar Ahmed and Mir Hamza are back in contention as the hosts look to add more spinners to their side after the four-man pace attack backfired in the first game.
Pakistan Predicted XI: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk.), Salman Ali Agha, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan will be available to play for Bangladesh despite being named in a First Information Report (FIR) related to a murder case. He missed out with the bat in the first innings but bowled exceedingly well in Pakistan’s second innings. The visitors wouldn’t want to tinker with their side which gave them a historic win in the first Test.
Bangladesh Predicted XI: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk.), Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed.
PAK vs BAN Fantasy XI : Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk.), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk.), Mehidy Hasan Miraz
PAK vs BAN : In the Spotlight : Babar Azam and Mushfiqur Rahim
Babar Azam‘s slump aligning perfectly with the team’s nosediving Test form has been aggravating. Pakistan are used to dry patches and players out of form, but it isn’t quite obvious why this generation’s best batter is now struggling to achieve the big scores that came so easily to him.
There isn’t a particular type of bowling or kind of shot that’s ailing him nor does he have other responsibilities now that he has been relieved of the armband. Babar Azam fell to two basic unforced errors in the first Test, a squeeze down leg side and a drive without footwork doing for him. Home runs on flat surfaces against Bangladesh seemed like a no-brainer, and he now has one more Test to try and fix that.
Mushfiqur Rahim played the role of the senior pro to a tee in the first Test. He used his strong defensive technique to good effect over the course of three partnerships that allowed the batters at the other end to operate with more freedom.
Shadman Islam only opened up his repertoire in a 52-run stand with Mushfiqur, while Litton Das finally showed some form, after Mushfiqur allowed him to bat his way. Mehidy Hasan Miraz continued to shine with his batting mentor, playing out 178 balls in his innings. Mushfiqur continuing this role is bad news for Pakistan.
PAK vs BAN : Match Prediction
The Pakistan vs Bangladesh 2nd Test takes place will be a very crucial game for both sides. While Pakistan looks to level the series, Bangladesh aims to win the series. Since gaining Test status in 2000, Bangladesh has only won two of its 32 overseas series with wins in the West Indies (2009) and Zimbabwe (2021), drawing three and losing 27 and will look for another historic chase of oversea series win record.