In 2010, when former England opener Geoffrey Boycott suggested Bangladesh weren't good enough for Test cricket, Tamim Iqbal responded by blazing a brilliant hundred at Lord's and firing another at Old Trafford a week later. England still cruised to a 2-0 series win, but it was the plucky Bangladeshi opener with his abilities that hogged the applauses. The left-hander deservedly won the Wisden Cricketer of the Year award for his exploits that season - in nine of his 14 Test innings, he surpassed 50 and made a hundred thrice.
Shakib Al Hasan is another fine product of Bangladesh cricket. The all-rounder has gained international acclaim for being one of the world's best in his profession, often occupying the top spots in the ICC's all-rounder rankings in all three formats - at the moment he is at the top in both Tests and T20s while a close second in ODIs. The 28-year-old has become highly sought-after by T20 franchises globally and has represented two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
While the history has already been made in ODIs by Bangladesh, they are yet to make a mark in Test cricket. They have a disappointing record of just 7 wins in 88 matches - five over Zimbabwe and two versus an underpowered West Indies in 2009. Undoubtedly, 70 losses leave a lot to be desired.
Pakistan are bolstered by the skipper Misbah-ul-Haq's presence, but the ODI calamity has left them wounded. Pakistan's sense of hurt can prove to be dangerous for Bangladesh but they will have to go for the kill in true tiger fashion. After the drawn first test, this is a historic opportunity for Bangladesh to notch a test series win over a full-strength Test nation.
