Pakistan and Bangladesh will square off in a first T20 of the three-match series on 28th May in Lahore.
Match Preview:
It hasn’t even been a week since PSL X wrapped up, and the Pakistan team is already back in action. The Men in Green will face Bangladesh in the first T20 of the upcoming series.
Originally planned as a three-match ODI and T20 series, the tour has now been shortened to just a three-match T20 series.
Pakistan is coming off a disappointing 4-1 T20 series defeat against New Zealand. With that in mind, the team will be eager to bounce back and build momentum against a struggling Bangladesh side.
The series marks the beginning of a new era for Pakistan cricket, with Mike Hesson stepping in as head coach, Hanif Malik as batting coach, and former Australian pacer Ashley Noffke taking over as bowling coach. This will be Pakistan’s first series under the new management.
There have also been notable changes in the squad. Former captain Babar Azam, veteran keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, and pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi are all missing from the lineup.
On the other hand, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, and Saim Ayub have returned. Fakhar and Saim were out with injuries, while Hasan Ali earned his comeback after an impressive PSL campaign. Abbas Afridi replaces the injured Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Sahibzada Farhan has been given another opportunity.
It’s been a tough stretch for Pakistan in international cricket, from the T20 World Cup 2024 and Champions Trophy 2025 to the Tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and the recent series loss to the Black Caps before the PSL.
This upcoming series is a crucial chance to reset and gain some much-needed confidence and momentum.
As for Bangladesh, they’re coming off a series defeat against the UAE. To make matters worse, they’ll be without key players like Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed. Nahid Rana has also opted out of the squad due to personal reasons.
Much will rest on the shoulders of Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan, and Shariful Islam. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who replaces the injured Soumya Sarkar, will play a vital role with his all-round capabilities, potentially helping Bangladesh push back against Pakistan.
Despite their recent loss, Bangladesh cannot be taken lightly especially considering their victory over Pakistan in Test series last year. Coach Phil Simmons remains optimistic, backing his team to put the past behind them and rise to the challenge.
Probable Playing XI:
Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan/Mohammad Haris (wk) 2 Saim Ayub 3 Fakhar Zaman 4 Hasan Nawaz 5 Salman Ali Agha (capt) 6 Shadab Khan 7 Khushdil Shah 8 Faheem Ashraf 9 Haris Rauf 10 Hasan Ali 11 Abrar Ahmed
Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Litton Das (capt), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Jaker Ali (wk), 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz/Mahedi Hasan, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Shoriful Islam
Pitch and weather report:
Lahore is still hot and dry, although the rare nighttime breeze helps to make the weather more tolerable during match time. The surfaces ought to support high scores, if the PSL is any guide.
Head-to-head record:
A total of 19 matches have been played between these sides with Pakistan winning 16 while Bangladesh stood victorious in just 3 games.
Prediction:
Although both of side have played below-par cricket in recent past, Pakistan is still favourite to win this game, given their head-to-head record, they will be playing at home, and Bangladesh is coming from ignominious defeat from UAE.
Where to watch:
Pakistan: Tamasha, Tapmad
North America: WILLOW
Africa: SuperSport
Bangladesh: T SPORTS, Tapmad
UK: ARY DIGITAL
MENA (Middle East & North Africa): cricbuzz
Sri Lanka: Dialog
