DHAKA: Babar Azam will be absent when Pakistan don the Test whites for the first time since October last year as they take on Bangladesh in the first fixture of their two-Test series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here on Friday.

The batter, whose return to Test cricket was highly anticipated after he displayed serious form in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL) season, injured his left knee on the eve of the series opener, the country’s cricket board said later.

“Pakistan batter Babar Azam will not be available for the first Test match against Bangladesh due to an injury in left knee,” a press release by the Pakistan Cricket Board read. “The team’s medical panel is currently assessing his condition. Further updates will be shared in due course.”

Babar’s absence leaves the number four position vacant, increasing the chances of uncapped Abdullah Fazal and Azan Awais’s debut. The duo was picked in the Pakistan Test side following impressive runs in the domestic circuit over the past two years.

One of the two will likely open along with Imam-ul-Haq and the other may feature at three while Shan fills up the number-four slot.

The debutants, therefore, will be exposed to Bangladesh’s pace battery, which includes the increasingly dangerous Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam and Taskin Ahmed, on a green surface.

Pakistan skipper Shan Masood, however, believes his team has the ability to tackle all kinds of conditions at play.

“I think we’ve brought a squad of 16 that is a very well-rounded squad — a squad that can play in most conditions,” he said during the pre-series press conference on Thursday.

“Now it’s about playing 10 days of good cricket and hopefully whoever plays the best cricket will end up winning the series.”

The last time Pakistan faced Bangladesh in Tests, history was written — the latter registering their first ever win against Pakistan in the format before going on to complete a 2-0 series whitewash in Rawalpindi two years ago.

Shan may have brushed aside any talk of revenge, but the memory of Bangladesh’s stunning show will hang heavy as Pakistan seek redemption.

“We’re not going to look for the word revenge,” Shan said. “What’s important for us is our process and how we play the game. The desire for us is, when we get into winning positions, we want to be the side that finishes games off and plays a good brand of cricket.”

Pakistan haven’t finished off games from winning positions consistently over the past two years, which have seen their Test stocks nosedive — the side finishing ninth, seventh and fifth in their three World Test Championship campaigns.

The ongoing WTC cycle started with a win at home against South Africa before the Proteas levelled the series 1-1. But with Pakistan placed fifth on the championship table, there is hope this campaign would end with a place in the final.

“For us it starts with tomorrow and playing good cricket,” Shan said. “Hopefully if we do that consistently, maybe we can fulfil our bigger dreams. Every cricketer and every team has dreams of playing finals and playing for trophies, but for now it’s about playing Bangladesh in Bangladesh and making sure that we offer ourselves up really well to the challenge ahead.”

Shanto eyes big runs

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, meanwhile, made no secret of his ambitions, insisting his side must post big first-innings totals to give their potent pace attack the platform to take 20 wickets.

“The important thing is scoring runs. If we score 400 in 80 overs, no problem. If someone takes 120 overs, I also have no problem,” Najmul told reporters. “So the runs are important.”

Najmul believes his fast bowlers hold a slight edge over Pakistan’s attack.

“In the pace bowling department, I would say both teams have good pace attacks,” he said. “But if you ask me, I would say our pace bowling attack is maybe slightly ahead, if I look at the last few years and how they have been bowling.”

Shan politely pushed back.

“We’re not going to dwell on comparisons. They’ve got their qualities, we’ve got our qualities,” he said, while also acknowledging the quality of the Bangladesh attack. “We’re relishing the occasion of facing a good attack and hopefully getting some runs against them.”

Bangladesh have bolstered their batting with the inclusion of attacking opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim, while Taskin Ahmed returns from injury to strengthen an already experienced pace unit alongside the exciting Nahid Rana.

Shanto wants Tanzid to play his natural game.

“The way he plays ODI and T20 cricket, I want him to play the same way,” Najmul said.

Squads:

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Amite Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Litton Das (wicket-keeper), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nahid Rana, Nayeem Hasan, Shadman Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Taskin Ahmed

Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Salman Ali Agha, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Ghazi Ghori, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2026