Bangladesh to wait for Shakib’s fitness test

Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan returned to Bangladesh from the USA on Sunday night ahead of the two-match Test series against Pakistan starting from November 26.

Shakib flew to his family at the USA after suffering a hamstring injury during the 2021 ICC Twenty20 World Cup, which kept him from taking part in Bangladesh’s last two matches of the Super 12 stage. Shakib couldn’t take part in the ongoing T20 series against Pakistan as he was nursing the injury and his participation in the Test series is also not confirmed. Shakib will go through a fitness test today and the all-rounder will be cleared to take part in the Test series only if the medical wing gives him the green signal, said national team’s chief selector Minhajul Abedin. ‘Shakib will undergo a fitness test on Monday by the physiotherapist over his hamstring injury. If he finds progress, than he could play in the forthcoming Test series against the visitors,’ Minhajul told the media on Monday. However, Minhajul feels Shakib might have to skip the first Test in Chattogram. 

‘He might miss the first Test. Let’s see.’ Meanwhile, a 14-member Pakistan Test quad has also arrived at the Hazrat Shahjalal International airport in Dhaka on Sunday at 5:35 pm ahead of the series. Pakistan had announced a 20-member squad for the two Tests and six members from that squad are part of the T20 side and are already in Dhaka. The first Test is scheduled to take place at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram while the second and the final game will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. 

Pakistan Test team reaches Dhaka

Pakistan Test team has arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday to play two-match Test series. The 14-member team landed at Shahjalal International Airport at 5:30 pm. Pakistan team will go straight from the airport to the hotel's bio-secure environment. The first Test is in Chittagong but they will be in the capital now. The visiting team will leave Dhaka for Chittagong on November 23 along with the members of the Test team who are in the squad for the T20 series. Opener Imam-ul-Haq, middle-order batter Kamran Ghulam made a comeback and off-spinner Bilal Asif replaced leg-spinner Yasir Shah who is yet to fully recover from the thumb injury. Pacers Haris Rauf and Shahnawaz Dahani have been left out and will be allowed to travel back to Pakistan after the T20I leg of the tour. Two teams will face off in a two-Test series of the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship. The first Test starts at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on November 26 while the second Test commences at Mirpur on December 4.