Bangladesh begin a two-Test series in Pakistan this week with their preparations severely hampered by the political turmoil that has wracked the country.

Babar spent much of his early Test career batting at No.3 and there was speculation that the right-hander may return to that spot under new coach Jason Gillespie.

The players' union, formerly known as FICA, plan to put forward a solution that allows international cricket and domestic leagues to "co-exist in a clear, coherent calendar" for all".

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha feels that his side is ready to face any challenge thrown at them by their Pakistani counterparts in the first Test of the two-match series set to take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, starting Wednesday.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been in a limbo ever since the fall of the Awami League government with many board directors including president Nazmul Hassan Papon going into hiding.

Jayasuriya’s take on English conditions came from personal experience – in six Tests in England, he scored 421 runs at an average of 42.1. His best of 213 came in Sri Lanka’s historic one-off Test victory over England at the Oval in 1998.

"Bangladesh is a side that has quality players in all departments and we highly respect the challenges they bring as a side to us," said Shan Masood.

Youth and Sports adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan made his first visit to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) headquarters on Monday noon, where he met with officials, staff, cricketers and had a discussion with former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal.

"Andre Russell requested a period of rest and recovery as well as Jason Holder who played five back-to-back tests against England and South Africa," CWI's director of cricket Miles Bascombe said in a statement.

Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus has tendered his resignation as board director to the National Sports Council (NSC) today.

Pakistan have released right-arm fast bowler Aamir Jamal from the Test squad ahead of the series against Bangladesh as the pacer has yet to fully recover from his injury.

Oval Invincibles won a second successive Hundred title on Sunday by beating Southern Brave by 17 runs at Lord's.

Set a challenging target of 263 after fast bowler Jayden Seales' Test-best figures of six for 61 dismissed the Proteas for 246 in their second innings in the morning session, the home team lost wickets at regular intervals to be dismissed for 222.

Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby’s unbeaten 13-ball 32 blitz powered Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) High Performance Unit to a three-wicket win over Perth Scorchers and sealed them a place in the semifinal of the nine-team Top End T20 series in Darwin, Australia today.

“I didn’t bat [in second innings] because of my injury. I got hurt while batting in the nets. Hopefully, I will recover quickly and play the first Test,” the 37-year-old said in a video sent to the media on Saturday.

Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella has been suspended indefinitely due to an alleged doping violation, the national governing body Sri Lanka Cricket said.

“He [Joy] got hurt while fielding. It will take him about three weeks to recover,” said Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief physician Debashis Chowdhury.

Ripon Mondol picked up three wickets and Jishan Alam hit a half-century as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) High Performance Unit defeated Australian Capital Territory (ACT) by six wickets, notching up their second win in the Top End T20 series at the TIO Stadium in Darwin, Australia today.

Root only recently scored his 12,000th Test run to become the seventh highest run-scorer of all time and the 33-year-old has second-placed Ponting and Tendulkar's overall record within sight.

Bangladesh Test team reached Pakistan yesterday, five days ahead of schedule, to officially begin the final phase of their preparations for the forthcoming two-Test series against the hosts, having failed to do so at home owing to weeks of unrest.