Match Preview Pakistan vs Bangladesh, 1st T20I 2025

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Like a type of stifling work dinners there is not any getting out of, this Pakistan-Bangladesh collection is to be endured fairly than loved. Initially meant to be three ODIs and as many T20Is, it was shortened to 5 T20I video games, earlier than the PSL encroached into its window and lopped off the 2 video games in Faisalabad. Now, Pakistan will tackle Bangladesh in three T20Is on the tail finish of Could and the beginning of June, halfway by way of a heatwave, as two out-of-form T20 sides look to show the nook.

It is lower than 48 hours in the past that the PSL concluded with a spectacular final on the Gaddafi Stadium, the place these three video games will all happen. Ticket costs have been slashed, and the beginning time has been pushed again by an additional half-hour to permit the comparatively cooler night situations time to take maintain.

Pakistan start yet one more new period, although the frequency of those reboots probably stretches the that means of that phrase to breaking level. Mike Hesson has been appointed the white-ball coach. Thought to be one of many recreation’s canniest thinkers with a stellar resume of main groups to success behind him, you’d assume his arrival represents an thrilling new time in Pakistan cricket. A bit like when Gary Kirsten was appointed to the identical place 12 months earlier.

Pakistan are coming off a chastening 4-1 series loss to New Zealand in March, however have largely caught to the identical mentality, if not essentially the personnel, for this tour. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi are all absent. Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman return from damage, whereas Naseem Shah can also be again. In the meantime, performances within the PSL have seen Hasan Ali and Sahibzada Farhan referred to as as much as the squad.

Bangladesh’s type is not a lot better. Final week, they fell to an ignominious series defeat to the UAE, who got here from behind to inflict a 2-1 defeat. Head coach Phil Simmons insisted the mood remained upbeat regardless of that defeat, however complicating Bangladesh’s process in Pakistan is the absence of a number of first-choice gamers.

Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar and Taskin Ahmed are out injured, whereas Nahid Rana has opted out of the tour. They may, although, have the companies of recent quick bowling coach Shaun Tait, who beforehand served in that position with Pakistan.

As with the later levels of the PSL, there shall be no Hawkeye obtainable throughout this collection. The supplier of the expertise didn’t return to Pakistan as soon as the PSL resumed, and the PCB has not deemed it cost-effective to rearrange a substitute.

Type information

Pakistan LLWLL (final 5 accomplished matches, most up-to-date first)
Bangladesh LLWWW

Within the highlight

Saim Ayub is absolutely match, however did not hit his stride correctly in the course of the PSL. Beginning off with a trademark half-century for Peshawar Zalmi, he adopted it up with six successive single-digit scores as his event ended with a whimper. 5 months earlier, when he final performed T20I cricket earlier than an ankle damage doomed him to a spell on the sidelines, he was in irresistible type; his most up-to-date T20I rating is an unbeaten 57-ball 98 in opposition to South Africa at Centurion. Pakistan will hope he can decide up the place he left that form of type.

All eyes shall be on Litton Das, who oversaw Bangladesh’s 2-1 defeat in opposition to UAE final week. Litton is the newly appointed T20I captain after Najmul Hossain Shanto stood down from the place earlier within the 12 months. Litton bought the place on the again of his good management within the West Indies in December. Nonetheless, his batting type stays suspect. He made 65 runs in opposition to the UAE, typically trying unsure together with his position within the batting order. Litton could must take the anchor position with the larger hitters round them, whereas on the similar time managing the bowling assault.

Group information

A aspect pressure has dominated Mohammad Wasim Jnr out of the collection, with Abbas Afridi named his substitute. With this being Hesson’s first squad, there are positions up for grabs within the batting order, whereas Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf are anticipated to make up the seam-bowling numbers.

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 have a restricted tempo assault so that they must herald no less than two of their spinners into the XI. It is likely to be a alternative between vice captain Mahedi Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Bangladesh (possible): 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 situations

It stays scorching and dry in Lahore, although an occasional night breeze does make situations round match time extra bearable. If the PSL is any indicator, the surfaces must be conducive to excessive scores.

Stats and trivia

• Bangladesh have a woeful T20I report in opposition to Pakistan, successful 3 and shedding 16 matches. They did, nonetheless, win the final time these two sides performed, although it concerned second-string sides on the Asian Video games in Hangzhou.

• Shoriful Islam and Mahedi Hasan are one and two wickets away respectively from turning into the fourth and fifth Bangladeshi bowlers to take 50 T20I wickets

• Pakistan’s T20I report because the begin of 2024 makes for grim studying. Excluding video games in opposition to Eire, Canada and Zimbabwe, they’ve gained 4 of 23 T20Is on this interval

Quotes

“Taskin and Fizz [Mustafizur] are key bowlers. But the young guys step up in their absence. They have a big opportunity to show their skills. We have a very good balanced side. We believe in our bowlers who are quite capable.”
Bangladesh captain Litton Das on the absence of key quick bowlers.