Bangladesh, Pakistan meet in ODI series decider: Preview and stats
What's the story
The third and final ODI between Bangladesh and Pakistan will be the series decider. The series is currently tied at 1-1, with both teams having won one match each. The first two ODIs were dominated by one team, making the decider crucial for fans who are hoping for a more competitive contest. The match is scheduled for a 1:45pm IST start at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka.
Team news
Bangladesh need to address their batting issues
Bangladesh's batting unit has come under scrutiny after their poor performance in the second ODI. Saif Hassan has struggled at the top of the order, while Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hridoy need to stabilize the middle order. Rishad Hossain's lack of contributions with the bat also raises concerns over their all-rounder depth. To address these issues, Soumya Sarkar could replace Saif Hassan in a possible batting change for Bangladesh.
Team news
Pakistan aim to continue their momentum
Pakistan made a strong comeback in the second ODI after their dismal performance in the first. Haris Rauf stood out with his bowling, showing better discipline and variations than before. However, they may have to replace the injured Hussain Talat with newcomer Ghazi Ghori for this match. Maaz Sadaqat also impressed with a brilliant 75-run knock and three wickets.
Match conditions
Pitch report and weather forecast
The pitch at Shere Bangla National Stadium has been a balanced one, offering bounce for fast bowlers while not turning too much for spinners. However, there are concerns over another potential thunderstorm like the one witnessed during the second ODI. This could play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of this series-deciding match between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Information
Here's the H2H record
The two teams have met 41 times in ODIs. Pakistan have claimed 35 victories compared to Bangladesh's six. As per ESPNcricinfo, on Bangladesh soil, the home team has won 4 games and lost 15 from 19 meetings.
Probable XIs
Here are the likely XIs
BAN probable XI: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (captain), Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman. PAK probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Shamyl Hussain, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Abdul Samad, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Abrar Ahmed.
Stats
Player focus: Here are the stats
Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan is closing in on 3,000 ODI runs. From 102 matches, he has scored 2,975 runs at 41.31 from 93 innings. Salman Agha is set to feature in his 50th ODI for Pakistan. He has 1,432 runs from 49 matches (41 innings) at 43.39. From 97 ODIs, Litton Das has amassed 2,613 runs at 30.03 for Bangladesh. Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi (138) is two shy of surpassing former spin all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez (139) in terms of ODI wickets.