BAN vs PAK Match Prediction : 1st Test, Pakistan tour of Bangladesh, 2026

Bangladesh has not yet registered its first victory of this edition of the ICC World Test Championship. The team has one draw and one loss. Pakistan beat the reigning champions, South Africa, at the end of last year. Bangladesh is never easy to beat at home but we think the Pakistani team is on the upswing and has a great chance of pulling off a win.

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Bangladesh vs Pakistan Head-to-Head Record

In the past ten matches between these Asian rivals, Bangladesh has two wins and Pakistan has dominated with eight wins.

Bangladesh vs Pakistan Live-streaming and Broadcast

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BAN vs PAK Team Previews

Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s Test side will be tested at home against a strong Pakistan Test lineup.

Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shadman Islam are both quality players on their day, but them both averaging under 30 in Test cricket is a worry. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto will have eyes on him but struggles to convert starts into milestones. Mominul Haque was formerly one of the team’s cornerstones but declined with his returns in recent seasons.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das are arguably two of the more consistent run-scorers, but bat too low down the order to be meaningfully impactful.

Overall, like always, the Bangladeshi batting is a big concern.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan will need to manage the bulk of the work with the ball as the team’s spin weapons. While pacers Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain are reputable, they will have their work cut out for them on a pitch that won’t assist them past the first hour.

This bowling attack is where Bangladesh can test the Pakistanis and pull off something special.

Bangladesh is still in a transition phase with its Test cricket. Testing a robust Pakistan side could be difficult.

Bangladesh Expected Playing 11

Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Taskin Ahmed

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Pakistan

Arriving in Dhaka for their two-Test series against Bangladesh, Pakistan’s Test squad is showing a renewed sense of energy under Shan Masood’s leadership.

The squad mixes experienced campaigners with exciting young talent. 21-year-old opener Azan Awais looks to be in line for a Test debut. He has impressed with a batting average in domestic First-Class cricket just under 50 and will join the consistent Imam-ul-Haq at the top. The left-hander has three Test centuries and five Test half-centuries.

The red-hot Babar Azam (albeit in the PSL), the reliable Saud Shakeel, captain Shan Masood, and the dynamic Mohammad Rizwan form a multi-format Pakistan core. Between them, there are over 11 000 Test runs to boast of. Salman Agha’s all-round skills as a key batter and reliable off-spinner at number seven add further balance.

There are question marks over this batting lineup's Test performances but at least they come here with some confidence.

The powerful spin duo of Noman Ali and Sajid Khan will be licking their lips for the spinning pitch in Mirpur. Ali has 50 wickets in his past six Tests, while Khan has 40 wickets in his last six Tests. Left-armer Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali’s reverse swing will be crucial during dry spells when the team needs to make something happen with the ball.

Pakistan would have the headstart as the clear favourite to take the win in the first Test. The squad has covered every area and has also achieved impressive victories in recent Test matches.

Pakistan Expected Playing 11

Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Hasan Ali, Noman Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sajid Khan

BAN vs PAK Toss Prediction

Both captains may feel the temptation to bowl first with the potentially wet conditions to start in the morning. Thinking with the bigger picture in mind, batting first could give the better outcome. Batting conditions will improve throughout the Test match, once the light rain ceases.

Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

The pitch in Mirpur is a classic subcontinental track where the spinners will come into play later, while the new ball for the seamers will be key. The earlier damp conditions will give the seamers a small window of opportunity to take wickets, but the pitch should flatten from there onwards. Days two and three should be the best for batting.

The low and slow pitch will be conducive to spinners and cutters from the pacers. The first innings total from the previous Test at this ground was 476 all out.

Mirpur will expect cloudy skies and temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. Humidity will be high. The 25 percent chance of rain means there is a decent chance of weather interruptions.

BAN vs PAK : Who Will Win?

Pakistan has never lost a Test match to Bangladesh in Bangladesh. That unbeaten run extends all the way back to 2002. With a bowling attack that will enjoy the conditions and a wobbly batting lineup to exploiut, pakistan is the deserving favorite. Bangladesh, though, has a better bowling attack than perhaps ever in its Test history and cannot be taken lightly.

Back Pakistan but be sure to hedge when the opportunities arrive.

Bet on Pakistan to win.