Mohsin Naqvi is currently heading PCB. Credits - AP
With the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2026) in its business end, Pakistan cricketers from the eliminated teams have already started the preparations for the upcoming Test tour of Bangladesh. The Shan Masood-led Men in Green are scheduled to face the Asian rivals in two Test matches at Mirpur and Sylhet, respectively.
Under their new red-ball coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, Masood and company are already sweating hards at the HPC Academy in Lahore. Although the players from Peshawar Zalmi have yet to join the squad.
As Pakistan want to reset their sitting in the current World Test Championship cycle (WTC 2025-27), where they have played two matches and won just a solitary Test match.
Pakistan's new strategy to conquer Bangladesh
With five more series to go in the WTC 2025-27, Pakistan have a chance of reaching their maiden WTC final. To achieve this dream, the Men in Green do not want to leave any stone unturned.
While talking to the press ahead of the Bangladesh Tests, the Test head coach, Sarfaraz Ahmed, revealed Pakistan's unique approach: they have opted to adapt to Bangladesh's foreign conditions.
“We held our camp in Karachi in conditions that could be quite similar to Bangladesh. Preparation is going very well. We are training on two types of wickets - seaming tracks and spinning tracks," Pakistan's new head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed said as quoted by BDCricTime.
"A new World Test Championship cycle has started, and we hope to perform very well in Bangladesh," the red-ball coach added.
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BAN's seam battery troubled PAK before PSL 2026
Pakistan, going through its worst phase, has surrendered to Bangladesh in ODIs ahead of the ongoing PSL 2026. In Shaheen Afridi's maiden assignment as ODI captain, they lost the series 1-2.
Interestingly, Bangladesh seamer Nahid Rana troubled the Pakistani batters, taking a five-wicket haul in the first ODI, where the visitors were bowled out for 114. Rana also played a fine hand in Peshawar Zalmi's campaign, as the Babar Azam-led side has reached the final.
Rana, along with Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain & Shoriful Islam, can pose a threat to Pakistan. Thus, the visiting side has opted for its latest strategy ahead of the upcoming Test tour.
Babar, Shan Masood to be Pakistan's biggest strengths
To counter Bangladesh's seam threat, Babar Azam and captain Shan Masood are going to be their biggest threat. The former Pakistan captain has found his mojo back in PSL 2026, where he is hitting hundreds for fun. While Masood also scored ample runs for Multan Sultans, his side bowed out to Hyderabad Kingsmen in the Eliminator.
Sarfaraz Ahmed, who will coach Babar and Shan Masood for the first time, spoke at length about the two batting stars.
“Babar (Azam) is batting very well technically. Of course, that was in the T20 format, but Insha’Allah he will adjust well in Tests too. Shan Masood is also in good form. He is our Test captain, and I hope he continues that form," Sarfaraz concluded.
Pakistan Squad for Tests vs BAN
Shan Masood (c), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi
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