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Bangladesh will face Pakistan in the first Test match in Rawalpindi on Wednesday as captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and his team are preparing to tackle the challenge of playing with the red ball. As they gear up for the match, Bangladesh is confronting a daunting historical statistic: they have yet to win a Test against Pakistan.

Despite this unfavorable record, Shanto is not letting past statistics affect his team's mindset. He expressed unwavering confidence in his squad's ability to turn the tables.

"I believe the record of Pakistan being 12-0 against Bangladesh is just that— a record. Records can be changed. It won’t be easy, but our team is well-balanced, and we believe we can achieve something special this time. The players are excited to play here." Shanto said to the media in Rawalpindi on Tuesday

In their 13 Test encounters with Pakistan, Bangladesh has lost 12 matches and managed a draw in just one. Out of the 12 defeats, six have been by an innings. The team has faced particularly heavy losses in the last three encounters. Additionally, Bangladesh did not fare well in their recent Test series against Sri Lanka.

Shanto reassured that despite the recent poor performance, especially in the Sri Lanka series, he has full faith in his players.

“After the significant losses in the Sri Lanka series, we are not making any drastic changes. Everyone knows our batting has not been up to par lately, and we did not perform well in the last Test series. However, we have prepared well and have made the most of the opportunities to get ready. Each player believes that, especially with our batting unit, we will perform well this time. Moreover, bowling will be crucial for winning the Test. I think we have a great chance as a team this time.”

Veteran cricketer and former Member of Parliament (MP) Shakib Al Hasan faces uncertainty regarding his political future. However, Shanto was quick to downplay any concerns that these developments might distract Shakib from his responsibilities on the cricket field.

"I don't think it will affect him because he's a professional cricketer, and we all treat him as such," Shanto remarked. "He has played this game for so long that he knows his role and how to prepare himself. We're not thinking about his political career, and I hope he'll do something special in this series" he added.