Bangladesh's Mominul Haque and Pakistan's Azhar Ali pose with the Test series trophy in Rawalpindi Thursday AFPBangladesh, initially reluctant to make a lengthy stay in Pakistan, only agreed to tour in three phases, having played Twenty20 internationals last monthSkipper Azhar Ali hopes Pakistan will strengthen their credentials - both as a team and as host - when they face a depleted Bangladesh side in the first of two Test matches in Rawalpindi starting Friday. Bangladesh, initially reluctant to make a lengthy stay in Pakistan, only agreed to tour in three phases, having played Twenty20 internationals last month. After this Test they head home, before returning to play a ODI (April 3) and the second and final Test (April 5-9) - both in Karachi. Bangladesh's Liton Das bats in the nets BCBBangladesh will be without Shakib al Hasan, who is banned for one year in a spot-fixing case, and Mushfiqur Rahim, who opted not to tour Pakistan over security fears. Pakistan opener Abid Ali, meanwhile, will target another hundred in this Test to equal Indian maestro Mohammad Azharuddin's record of three consecutive centuries in his first three Tests.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 06, 2020 15:33 UTC