Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has issued a rallying cry for Bangladesh to transform their home ground into a fortress as they prepare to host Pakistan for a two-Test series starting Friday in Mirpur.

Speaking on the eve of the series opener, Shanto emphasized the need for his side to become a more formidable force on home soil. "As a captain, I want my side to win more matches at home in this cycle," he said. "If we can do well here and win some matches overseas, the performance graph in this cycle will improve."

The numbers tell a stark story. Since the World Test Championship launched in 2019, Bangladesh have managed just one home victory—a 150-run triumph against New Zealand. Their overall WTC journey has been a gradual climb: winless and last in the inaugural 2019-21 cycle, ninth again with one win in 2021-23, before rising to seventh place in 2023-25 with four wins—including historic away victories in Pakistan and the West Indies.

Shanto pinpointed a strong first-innings total as the key to success. In the last WTC cycle, Bangladesh passed 300 only once in six home Tests—and won that match. "If we can put up 400 or close to it, that would be good for us," he explained. "It doesn't matter if 400 runs come from 80 overs or 120 overs. We need 400 on the board to keep us safe. Whatever the condition is, the batters need to grind it out."

The captain was quick to praise his bowling unit, particularly the fast bowlers who have stepped up in recent times. "Pakistan are always known for their pace bowling, but our fast bowlers have also improved a lot and deserve credit," Shanto said, rating his pace attack slightly higher than Pakistan's "based on how we've been performing."

Pakistan captain Shan Masood acknowledged Bangladesh's bowling strength but declined to draw direct comparisons. His side enters the series after a 1-1 draw against world champion South Africa at home in October—their only Tests in this WTC cycle so far.

For Bangladesh, this series represents a crucial opportunity to build momentum at home, with West Indies and England visiting after Pakistan. The two Tests will be played in Mirpur and Sylhet, offering the Tigers a chance to turn their home record around and keep their WTC aspirations alive.