Mirpur pitch turns green for Bangladesh Ireland Test

Bangladesh cricket authorities have prepared a grass-covered pitch at Mirpur’s national stadium for the second Test against Ireland, marking a deliberate departure from recent spin-friendly surfaces that drew criticism from Pakistan and West Indies coaches during earlier tours. Selection committee members indicated the Tigers may field three fast bowlers to exploit conditions expected to favor seam bowling rather than the unpredictable black soil that dominated recent matches.

Australian turf expert Tony Hemming supervised preparations with adequate lead time after receiving praise for creating a balanced surface in Sylhet for the opening Test. Cricket operations officials expressed confidence that the wicket will provide significantly improved playing conditions compared to surfaces used during the West Indies series, though Bangladesh faces lineup challenges without Shakib Al Hasan’s all-around abilities.