The trophy for the upcoming Test series between the Pakistan national cricket team and the Bangladesh national cricket team has been officially unveiled ahead of the opening match starting tomorrow, Friday.
The unveiling ceremony was held at a stadium in Dhaka, where Pakistan captain Shan Masood and Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto jointly revealed the trophy.
The first Test match of the series will be played in Mirpur, Dhaka, starting tomorrow, Friday, while the second Test is scheduled to take place in Sylhet on May 16.
The series is expected to draw significant attention as both teams prepare to compete in a challenging away Test contest.
The Pakistan Test squad, led by Shan Masood, includes Abdullah Fazal, Imad Butt, Azaan Owais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, and Imam-ul-Haq, along with Khurram Shahzad, Muhammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Ghazi Ghauri, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Former Pakistan Test captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been appointed head coach for the Bangladesh tour, while former Test cricketers Asad Shafiq and Umar Gul will serve as batting and bowling coaches, respectively.
Former Test captain Moin Khan advises players
Former Test captain and former head of the National Selection Committee, Moin Khan, has said that Pakistan should not take the Test series against Bangladesh lightly. He added that head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed can guide the Pakistan cricket team towards improvement, while Test captain Shan Masood should be given time to settle into his responsibilities.
Talking to the media, Moin Khan said that the Pakistan cricket team, currently in Bangladesh for the two-Test series starting Friday, is a balanced side with quality players. However, he noted that Bangladesh will have a home advantage in these ICC World Test Championship matches, as they have historically performed better on home soil. Despite this, he expressed confidence that Pakistan can also deliver strong performances.
He further said that the National Selection Committee should raise its standards when selecting players. He praised Sarfaraz Ahmed, who is serving as head coach of the Pakistan cricket team, saying that he has significant international experience and a strong rapport with the players. According to him, players respect Sarfaraz and pay close attention to his guidance. He described Sarfaraz Ahmed’s appointment as head coach as a positive decision that could have long-term benefits for Pakistan cricket.
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