Pakistan blanked the Bengal Tigers 3-0 last week in the Twenty20 series. All three matches were played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka.Interestingly the toss was won by the host captain Mahmudullah on all three occasions, but that didn't help the hosts. Mahmudullah preferred to bat. Even after losing the first two matches, he didn't try to chase.

It was a low-scoring series in which Bangladesh batsmen scored 127, 108 and 124, respectively. Their average power play score was around 30 - less than a run a ball on their grounds, the lowest this year, although in New Zealand's difficult batting conditions earlier this year, Bangladeshi batsmen averaged 51 runs in the power play.

Fakhar Zaman was the top scorer of the T20I series with 91 runs in two matches, averaging 91 with one fifty. His was the only fifty scored in the series. Mohammad Rizwan was behind him with 90 runs in three matches.

For Bangladesh, Afif Hossain scored 76 runs in three games at an average of 25.33.

Young Mohammad Wasim took five wickets in the series, at an impressive average of 9.60. Hasan Ali, Mahmudullah and Shadab Khan got three wickets each with the averages of 7.33, 9.66 and 14, respectively.

In the second T20I against Bangladesh, Babar Azam (2515 runs) surpassed Mohammad Hafeez's 2514 to become the leading Pakistani run getter in T20 International matches. Veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik is behind them with 2423 runs.

After a successful T20 World Cup and receiving the player of the series award against Bangladesh, Rizwan moved up to the fourth position in the ICC T20I batsmen rankings while Babar retained the top position.

The Green-shirts have won 17 out of 26 T20I matches in 2021. Babar says that the players' sense of responsibility to deliver and the execution of given plans were the main reasons behind the success.

After the T20I series, the Test series between the two teams has begun.

Before the ongoing Test series, Pakistan had played 10 Tests against Bangladesh, winning nine. The only draw came in 2015 in Khulna.

The Green-shirts look stronger than Bangladesh across the board, having lost just one of their last six matches. On the other hand, Bangladesh have won just one of their last seven in the longest version of the game.

It will be a good opportunity for Bangladesh's captain Mominul Haque to show his leadership qualities. But his task to challenge Pakistan became more difficult when all-rounder Shakib al-Hasan and opener Tamim Iqbal were sidelined for the first Test due to injuries.

The Bengal Tigers lack quality in their batting department and need some more experienced players to face quality Pakistani bowling. They need to be at their very best to overcome the visitors.

Pakistan on the other hand have had to induct inexperienced spinners in the absence of leg-spinner Yasir Shah. The selectors have had to recall 36-year-old Bilal Asif, who last played a Test in 2018.

Bangladesh were awarded Test status in June 2000 when they took on India in Dhaka. Before the ongoing first Test against Pakistan, Bangladesh had played 119 Tests, lost 89 and won only 14.

They have won only four matches away from home. They came very close to winning against Pakistan in 2003 when they set the hosts 261 to win and dismissed half the side for just 99 in Multan. But Inzamam-ul-Haq's masterly unbeaten century guided Pakistan to a sensational one-wicket victory.

Pakistan's biggest win against Bangladesh also came in Multan when in 2001 they beat the visitors by an innings and 264 runs.

Pakistan's 628 at Khulna in 2015 is the highest innings total in their bilateral Test cricket. Bangladesh scored their highest ever against Pakistan - 555-6 - in the same Test.

Bangladesh were bowled out by Pakistan for just 96 - the lowest completed innings total in their bilateral Test cricket - in Peshawar in 2003. Pakistan's lowest Test innings total against Bangladesh came in Multan in 2003 when they were bowled out for 175.

Former opener Muhammad Hafeez has been Pakistan's most successful batsman against Bangladesh. He scored 650 runs in seven Tests, with three centuries and one fifty, averaging 59.09. Former captain Younis Khan is just behind him with 638 runs in the same number of matches at an average of 79.75 with three hundreds.

Former skipper Habibul Bashar scored 554 runs against Pakistan, including one hundred and six fifties, averaging 50.36.

Azhar Ali's 226 in Dhaka in 2015 is the highest individual score from both sides. Opener Tamim Iqbal's 206 in Khulna in 2015 is their highest individual score against Pakistan.

Former leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is Pakistan's most successful bowler against Bangladesh with 34 wickets in five matches, averaging 16.41. For Bangladesh, Mohammad Rafique took 17 wickets in three Tests at an average of 23.82.

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