Shahadat debuts as Bangladesh bat first in Sylhet Test

Batsman Shahadat Hossain Dipu makes his Test debut as Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first against New Zealand in the first Test of the two-match series at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today.

The Tigers have gone with a spin-heavy attack with Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan and Taijul Islam in the eleven and Shoriful Islam as the lone pacer in the side.

Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan also returns to the Test team and he will be keeping the wickets in the absence of Liton Das, who is currently on leave for family reasons. 

The visitors, on the other hand, have three spin bowling options in their eleven in Ish Sodhi, Ajaz Patel and part-timer Glenn Philips. Rachin Ravindra, New Zealand's breakout star from the World Cup in India, hasn't been picked for the Test.

Both teams will kick-start their campaigns in the 2023-25 cycle of the ICC World Test Championship with the match.

Najmul Hossain Shanto is leading Bangladesh in place of injured Shakib Al Hasan. He is the 13th Test skipper of the Tigers.

This is also the first Test between the two teams in Bangladesh soil in over a decade.

Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Shahadat Hossain

New Zealand: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (c), Ajaz Patel