SYLHET: Pakistan head into the second. final Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet under pressure, wounded by criticism at home and staring at another damaging series defeat, but buoyed by the return of former captain Babar Azam for the must-win contest starting on Saturday.
Bangladesh’s 104-run victory in the opening Test in Dhaka handed them a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. further underlined the shifting balance between the two sides in red-ball cricket. The hosts now stand on the brink of another landmark achievement after already beating Pakistan 2-0 on home soil two years ago.
Pakistan head coach Sarfraz Ahmed admitted the defeat had hurt. insisted his side remained focused on producing a response in Sylhet.
“Definitely, we as a team are disappointed after the first Test match,. the past is the past,” Sarfraz said on Friday. “We are hopeful that we will bounce back as a team.”
The visitors have at least been boosted by the return of Babar. who missed the opening Test because of a knee injury. Pakistan badly lacked authority. composure with the bat in Dhaka, collapsing in key moments despite entering the final stages of the game with hopes of salvaging a draw.
Babar’s inclusion is expected to trigger a reshuffle in the batting order. with skipper Shan Masood likely to move up to open alongside debutant Azan Awais. But while Babar’s presence offers reassurance, Pakistan’s problems appear deeper than the absence of one player.
The tourists have struggled for consistency in Test cricket over the past two years. with their senior players coming under increasing scrutiny after another meek surrender in Dhaka. Sarfraz, however, brushed aside the criticism directed at the side on social media.
“It is not new for us,” the former Pakistan captain said. “If we are not playing good cricket, the criticism is there. We are not worrying about social media things. Our focus is to play the next match.”
Pakistan’s coach also identified discipline as the area demanding urgent improvement after his side lost control of the first Test across two damaging sessions.
“We need to be more disciplined,” he said. “In Test cricket, we need to be disciplined with bowling length and batting more patiently.”
The concern for Pakistan is that Bangladesh currently appear the more balanced and confident Test side. In Dhaka. the hosts once again demonstrated a growing resilience under pressure, responding to difficult situations with aggression rather than caution.
Bangladesh’s bowling attack, in particular, has evolved into a formidable unit capable of succeeding in varying conditions. The emergence of tearaway quick Nahid Rana has added a new dimension to an attack already featuring the experience of Taskin Ahmed. the control of left-arm spinner Taijul Islam.
Nahid’s five-wicket haul in the opening Test, delivered with hostile pace consistently above 140kph, rattled Pakistan’s batting order. further elevated his growing reputation in Bangladesh cricket.
Veteran wicket-keeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim believes Bangladesh’s biggest improvement in Test cricket has come through their ability to take 20 wickets consistently.
“In the past we maybe depended more on spin, but now our bowling department is much more balanced,” Mushfiqur said. “If the batsmen can score consistently, then we can challenge any team in any conditions.”
The 39-year-old also pointed to the increasingly positive atmosphere around the Bangladesh dressing room. crediting the rise in consistent performers across the side.
“When a team has more consistent performers, players are ready to raise their hand when challenges come,” he said.
Bangladesh, though, are not without concerns ahead of the Sylhet Test. Opener Shadman Islam has already been ruled out with a chest injury sustained during the first Test. while fellow opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy is being monitored after training with a heavily bandaged hand on Friday.
That could open the door for white-ball opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim to make his Test debut.
There are also lingering fitness concerns among the fast bowlers. with Bangladesh considering whether to rotate one of their seamers given the workload created by back-to-back Tests during the monsoon season.
Yet Bangladesh appear comfortable adapting to changing circumstances, something Pakistan have struggled to do. Mushfiqur stressed that weather, rather than the pitch itself, may prove decisive in Sylhet.
“The weather is a bigger challenge than the wicket,” he said. “There could be a little moisture on the wicket because of the rain.”
Heavy showers are forecast during the match. particularly across the opening two days, although Sylhet’s modern drainage system offers hope that substantial playing time can still be recovered even after interruptions.
Sarfraz attempted to play down the weather factor.
“The weather is not in our hands,” he said. “If we have an opportunity to play cricket here, we will definitely play good cricket.”
Bangladesh will nevertheless begin the Test with momentum, confidence and history within touching distance. A victory would make Pakistan the first side to lose four successive Tests against Bangladesh.
For Pakistan, meanwhile, the stakes stretch beyond merely levelling the series. With a demanding overseas schedule looming later in the year, including five away Tests this summer, another defeat would deepen concerns over a side still searching for identity, stability. belief in the longest format.
Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2026
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