Preview:

Pakistan and Bangladesh are set to face off in the first of a two-match Test series on August 21 in Rawalpindi, followed by the second Test on August 30 in Karachi | Reddy Anna. This series marks Bangladesh's return to Pakistan since 2020, where they played a one-off Test and three T20Is. Both teams are aiming for a strong performance as part of their preparation for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final in 2025.

 

Pakistan currently occupies the fifth spot in the WTC standings, while Bangladesh is in eighth place. Bangladesh's preparations were affected by political unrest back home, but the team is determined to boost morale and secure a series win against Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan will look to consolidate their position in the WTC standings and build momentum toward the WTC Final.

This series is crucial for both teams as they strive to close the gap on the top two teams, Australia and India, in the WTC standings.

As the match approaches, here is a detailed breakdown of the Dream11 predictions, fantasy tips, pitch report, top player picks, and the best-predicted XIs for the fantasy contests.

Probable Playing XI:

·         Pakistan:

·         Saim Ayub

·         Mohammad Rizwan (wk)

·         Babar Azam (C)

·         Naseem Shah

·         Shaheen Afridi

·         Agha Salman

·         Shan Masood

·         Abdullah Shafique

·         Saud Shakeel (VC)

·         Khurram Shahzad

·         Mohammad Ali

Bench: Abrar Ahmed, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Huraira, Aamer Jamal, Mir Hamza

Bangladesh:

·         Liton Das (wk)

·         Nazmul Hossain Shanto (C)

·         Shakib Al Hasan

·         Shoriful Islam

·         Taskin Ahmed

·         Zakir Hasan

·         Mushfiqur Rahim

·         Mominul Haque

·         Shadman Islam

·         Mehidy Hasan Miraz

·         Hasan Mahmud

Bench: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Khaled Ahmed

 Injury and Availability News:

No injuries have been reported so far, and both teams are expected to field their full-strength squads.

Pitch Report:

The surface at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is expected to have live grass, offering early swing, extra bounce, and seam movement for fast bowlers. However, the pitch is likely to flatten out by the third day, allowing batters to score more freely. Spinners may find some assistance throughout the match. Winning the toss and opting to bowl first could be a strategic decision given the seam-friendly conditions early on.

·         Pace-friendly conditions: 65%

·         Spin-friendly conditions: 35%

·         Batting Pitch: 60%

·         Bowling Pitch: 40%

·         Average First-Innings Score: 325

Fantasy Cricket Tips:

Top Player Picks:

Babar Azam: Pakistan’s captain and star batter, Babar is in fine form and will be a key figure in Pakistan's batting lineup.

Shakib Al Hasan: Bangladesh’s experienced all-rounder is crucial with both bat and ball and could have a significant impact on the match.

Shaheen Afridi: With Rawalpindi’s seam-friendly conditions, Afridi will be a major threat to Bangladesh’s batters.

Liton Das: Bangladesh’s wicketkeeper-batter has been in good form, making him a valuable asset in the middle order.

Captaincy Picks:

·         Babar Azam

·         Shakib Al Hasan

·         Shaheen Afridi

Prediction:

Pakistan is favored to win this Test match based on their home advantage, stronger squad depth, and favorable playing conditions in Rawalpindi. Bangladesh will put up a fight, but Pakistan’s potent pace attack combined with their experienced batting lineup should give them the upper hand.

Prediction: Pakistan to win.