Holders Pakistan and minnows Bangladesh step into unfamiliar territory to launch the second Asian test championship at the new stadium in Multan on Wednesday.
The ground is unknown to both teams and even locally-born batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq knows little about the venue, which will stage the first test in the central Pakistani city since 1981.
``I really don’t know how to describe it (the pitch). I really don’t how it will behave exactly,‘’ said Pakistan captain Waqar Younis.
Pakistan have named five fast bowlers in their 16-man squad, including recalled former captain Wasim Akram, the only player in history to take more than 400 wickets in both tests and one-day internationals.
The home team hope the pitch will suit their pacemen, especially given Bangladesh’s vulnerability to quick bowling. In Bangladesh’s three tests to date, 39 of their 60 wickets to fall have gone to fast bowlers.
Bangladesh, who gained their test status from the International Cricket Council (ICC) last year, lost all three matches to India and Zimbabwe without much resistance.
Bangladesh coach Trevor Chappell said the match would provide a tough test for his players.
``Pakistan are a formidable opposition and they have a stronger pace attack than India or Zimbabwe. But we will put in a hard and honest effort to prove ourselves at this level,‘’ he said.
``Our target is to score at least 250 runs in each innings and then take it from there.‘’
But that may be a long shot for the minnows, who are playing their maiden test against Pakistan in their Asian test championship debut.
INDIA WITHDRAWAL
The championship, which also includes Sri Lanka, has lost some of its gloss after the withdrawal last week by India over a government refusal to allow its team to play arch-rivals Pakistan in Lahore.
India played in the inaugural ATC in 1999. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in the final at Dhaka’s Bangabandhu Stadium – the first test on neutral ground since 1912.
Akram grabbed two hat-tricks in that competition to win the man of the tournament award, but the 35-year-old all-rounder has only taken seven wickets in his last four tests.
Chappell described Akram as the main threat to his team.
``Anyone who is discounting him as a fast bowler is making a mistake. He is still the best left-arm fast bowler around and he could make a big difference here,‘’ Chappell told Reuters.
Pakistan coach Richard Pybus said Bangladesh would be given the same respect as any other test opponents.
``You can’t take anyone lightly at this level. And it is a new test pitch,‘’ he said.
**Pakistan squad:
Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Saeed Anwar, Taufiq Umar, Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Faisal Iqbal, Naved Latif, Rashid Latif, Wasim Akram, Muhammad Akram, Irfan Fazil, Abdur Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Danish Kanaria, Imran Nazir.
Bangladesh team:
Naimur Rahman (captain), Khaled Mashud (vice-captain), Javed Omar, Mehrab Hossain, Habibul Bashar, Aminul Islam, Akram Khan, Enamul Haque, Hasibul Hussain, Manjural Islam, Mohammed Sharif. **