Pakistan and Bangaldesh will square-off against each other in the 2nd match of the series on 30th May at Gaddafi Stadium.
Match Preview:
It couldn’t have gone better for Mike Hesson’s debut as Pakistan’s manager. Pakistan’s strategy was just as important as their victory over Bangladesh. There was a feeling of purpose that foreshadowed greater things from the first ball being thrown.
Pakistan refused not to back down despite losing two fast wickets. They launched an assault. The speed at which they scored—all of them hitting above 160—was what truly stood out, even if the batters ranked No. 3 through No. 6 all contributed, scoring between 31 and 56. The previous strategy, in which a middle-fielder might have slowed things down to anchor the innings, was obviously different. Not now.
Pakistan supported it with a crisp, comprehensive bowling effort. The strain increased as wickets continued to fall, and Bangladesh never came close to the asking rate. Returning to the team after a successful PSL campaign, Hasan Ali dominated the batting order with a career-best 5 for 30, which was the cherry on top of an already outstanding performance.
For Bangladesh, the initial hope soon evaporated. Although they had a strong start with the ball, they were unable to maintain their momentum. Mahedi Hasan and Rishad Hossain combined for 91 runs in their eight overs, destroying their spinners, which are often their strongest suit.
Their one-dimensional appearance in comparison is more worrisome for Bangladesh. Bangladesh found it difficult to change gears as Pakistan struck hard and kept the scoreboard moving. Jaker Ali and Litton Das briefly resisted, but it wasn’t enough. The hunt quickly came to an end because they had no meaningful assistance.
Pakistan’s new setup is still unpolished, to be fair. In subsequent games, this might just as easily go the other way. Despite their difficulties, Bangladesh often plays with a more stable floor—they hardly ever collapse. This series isn’t yet finished if they can maintain composure and use that reliable style in the next two games.
But for now, it’s Pakistan with the momentum—and possibly, the makings of a bold new chapter.
Probable Playing XI:
Pakistan (probable): 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Mohammad Haris (wk), 4 Hasan Nawaz, 5 Salman Agha (capt), 6 Shadab Khan, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Haris Rauf/Abbas Afridi, 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 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Shoriful Islam
Pitch and weather report:
It’s likely that the weather will remain hot and dry for the duration of the series. Although a new pitch will be used, the batting-friendly conditions should remain the same.
Head-to-head record:
A total of 20 matches have been played between these sides with Pakistan winning 17 while Bangladesh stood victorious in just 3 games.
Prediction:
Given how Pakistan performed in the first game, they are expected to win the second game of the series as well.
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
