With the opening game set at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday, the stage is ready for the much-awaited three-match T20I series between hosts Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Following a historic Test series sweep at the hands of the Bengal Tigers last year—a first-ever 2-0 Test loss on home ground against Bangladesh—the Men in Green will be looking at atonement. Pakistan has a great chance in this T20I series to flip the tide.
Pakistan wants to launch the series on a positive note with a strong playing XI ready to offset Bangladesh’s fierce bowling attack. Maybe Sahibzada Farhan will start Pakistan’s innings. After a remarkable performance in the just finished Pakistan Super League (PSL), the right-handed gained international recall.
Farhan, representing Islamabad United, became the top run scorer in the tournament with 449 runs in 12 games at an amazing strike rate of 152.20, including three fifties and a century.
Attaching him at the top will be returning Saim Ayub, who is returning to international cricket following a recuperation from an injury suffered during the South Africa Test series last year.
Expert left-handed Fakhar Zaman is supposed to bat at the pivotal third position. Young talent Hassan Nawaz along with skipper Salman Ali Agha will provide steadiness and flair in the middle order.
Two in-form all-rounders also comprise the expected XI: Faheem Ashraf and vice-captain Shadab Khan, both of whom gave constantly excellent performances across PSL 10.
Haris Rauf and returning Hasan Ali will lead the bowling attack with speed and force. Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed will bring diversity to the attack since he claimed 17 wickets and performed brilliantly with the PSL ball. It is relevant to highlight that Pakistan visited Bangladesh and cleaned-swept the hosts 3-0 in the last T20I series between the two sides in 2021.
With 16 out of 19 games under its belt, Pakistan has always dominated the T20I head-to- head against Bangladesh. Bangladesh, on the other hand, has just three wins—a record they will be keen to raise in this series.
Pakistan’s likely XI for first Bangladesh T20I:
Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Abrar Ahmed
Pakistan squad for Bangladesh T20Is:Â Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk) and Saim Ayub.
Pakistan-Bangladesh T20I series schedule:
- 28 May – 1st T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- 30 May – 2nd T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- 1 June – 3rd T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
