Bangladesh famously secured a historic Test series win in Rawalpindi in 2024 under former coach Chandika Hathurusingha, registering their first-ever victories against Pakistan in the format.
However, Simmons made it clear that those results will have little bearing on the upcoming series.
“That is history now. We want to create a new history. We are looking forward to Friday and what lies ahead. What happened before doesn’t matter anymore,” Simmons said at a press conference in Mirpur.
Despite downplaying the significance of past results, Simmons acknowledged that the previous success could serve as internal motivation for the players.
“It will be in the back of the mind and give you some inspiration knowing you won the last series. But this is a new match, a new venue. We are in Bangladesh now, not Pakistan. We need to leave that behind and focus on this game,” he added.
Bangladesh last played a Test series in November, when they defeated Ireland 2-0. Since then, their schedule has been dominated by white-ball cricket, including recent series against Pakistan and New Zealand.
Addressing concerns about switching back to red-ball cricket, Simmons dismissed any major challenges.
“It’s largely a mental adjustment. Some players haven’t played white-ball cricket and have been involved in red-ball matches in recent months. So I believe the transition will be smooth,” he said.
The first Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan is set to begin on Friday in Mirpur, marking the two sides’ first red-ball meeting since that landmark series in Rawalpindi.
