Babar Azam (captain of the Pakistan cricket team) will miss the first Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur due to a left knee injury. The team's management has not confirmed whether he will be sidelined for the entire series, stating that his condition is under observation. This injury comes at a critical time as Babar had just excelled in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), leading Peshawar Zalmi to victory as the tournament's leading run-scorer. He arrived in Bangladesh shortly after the PSL final and trained without issues until he experienced pain in his knee on Thursday morning. Babar has been a mainstay in the Test side for nearly a decade, and his absence will leave a gap in the middle order, likely requiring debutants to fill his role. The upcoming match marks Pakistan's first away Test of the current World Test Championship cycle, following a mixed home series against South Africa. Notably, Pakistan lost their last Test series against Bangladesh 2-0 at home.