In the first Test match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan declared their first innings at 448/6, thanks to remarkable centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel. After Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl, Pakistan faced early struggles, losing three wickets within the first 10 overs. Abdullah Shafique (2), Shan Masood (6), and Babar Azam (0) were quickly dismissed by Bangladesh’s pace attack.
However, Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel steadied the innings with a crucial 98-run partnership, with Saim scoring 56 off 98 balls. Shakeel went on to score 141 off 261 balls, including nine fours, before being dismissed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Rizwan continued his dominance, scoring an unbeaten 171 off 239 balls, marking his first 150+ score in international cricket. Shaheen Afridi also contributed with 29 off 24 balls.
Bangladesh’s Shoriful Islam and Hasan Mahmud shared two wickets each. In response, Bangladesh openers Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan began cautiously, reaching 27/0 at stumps, trailing Pakistan by 421 runs.
This Test match is part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25, where both teams are keen to improve their standing on the WTC points table. Pakistan has a strong record against Bangladesh, winning 12 out of the 13 Test matches they’ve played against each other, with one match ending in a draw.
