RAWALPINDI: The toss of the much anticipated first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh has been delayed due to a wet outfield here on Wednesday.
The umpires found wet patches in the outfield of Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium due to overnight rain.
Umpires Richard Kettleborough of England and Adrian Holdstock from South Africa will have another inspection of the ground at 11:00 am (6:00 GMT).
But the chances of play starting before lunch improved as the sun came out with clear blue skies over the stadium.
The two-match series part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) will run from August 21 to September 4 with both matches to be played at the same venue.
Pakistan are currently ranked sixth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. They have played two away series in the championship, winning 2-0 against Sri Lanka and losing 3-0 to Australia.
Pakistan are scheduled to play nine Test matches this season, their busiest Test season since 1998-99.
Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel
Seven of these Test matches will be played at home, including two against Bangladesh, three against England in October and two against West Indies in January next year.
The two away Test matches are against South Africa, which will be played in December/January.
The first Test match against Bangladesh marks Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie’s first international assignment since his appointment in April this year.
It will also be Shan Masood’s first Test match as captain on home soil, embarking on a new era in red-ball cricket for the team.
Pakistan Playing XI for the first Bangladesh Test: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Ali.
Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Hasan Mahmud, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nahid Rana, Nayeem Hasan, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Taijul Islam and Zakir Hasan