DHAKA, May 6, 2026 (BSS)—Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afrid cited his side’s stunning Test series defeat to Bangladesh at own den in 2024 as a past incident and urged his teammates to focus on present.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the first Test which commences on Friday, Shaheen said they have the ability to do well against Bangladesh in the upcoming Test series.

“For me, past is past. We are focused on the present and future—how we prepare and how we win,” Shaheen said.

The series is the part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Both Bangladesh and Pakistan have played two matches in the current cycle with Pakistan winning one and losing one against South Africa. Bangladesh meanwhile drew one and lost one against Sri Lanka away.

Shaheen believes entering with a busy stretch in red-ball cricket could help the team build rhythm.

“We are playing two matches here and then more Tests after that. It’s a long Test season for us, maybe for the first time, so this period is very important.”

Rather than focusing on a single series, Shaheen highlighted Pakistan’s broader ambitions in the ICC World Test Championship.

“We are not just looking at one series. Our goal is the Test Championship—how to qualify for the final and how to win it. That’s where our full focus is,” he said.

Shaheen acknowledged the contrast between Pakistan’s spin-friendly home pitches and the greener surfaces expected in Bangladesh.

“Every team uses their home conditions. In Pakistan, we prepare spin tracks because visiting teams struggle there. Here it’s different—it’s greener—but our bowlers are ready for the challenge.”

He also noted that Bangladesh have historically relied on spin at home, making the current conditions slightly unusual.

When asked about Pakistan’s previous defeat to Bangladesh, Shaheen dismissed the relevance of past results.

Shaheen also had words of encouragement for Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam.

“I spoke to Shoriful before as well. He is a very good prospect for Bangladesh cricket. He’s in good form, and I hope they use him well—just not against us,” he added with a smile.