DHAKA: After a forgettable T20 World Cup marketing campaign, Pakistan have rapidly shifted their give attention to subsequent 12 months’s 50-over showpiece, with a watch on testing recent faces.
Their preparations for the match will kick off with the three-match One-day International sequence in opposition to Bangladesh right here on the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium from Wednesday.
The first ODI is set to characteristic three debutants — Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat as openers and Shamyl Hussain as first drop — Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi confirmed on the eve of the match on Tuesday.
“We just want to give opportunities to our youngsters, as they are also our future,” stated the skipper, who will lead the facet on this third sequence.
“We just need to ready our team for the World Cup, and that’s just an opportunity for the youngsters to go and show their skills.”
Sahibzada, who proved his choice within the Pakistan T20 facet by ending up as the T20 World Cup’s highest run-scorer, has now been given an opportunity to show himself within the longer format.
Over the final decade, the best-hander has amassed 2926 List A runs at a powerful 41.80. Maaz and Shamyl, in the meantime, have risen up the home charts during the last couple of years.
Maaz was the fifth highest run-getter within the President’s Cup — the latest home one-day occasion — with 374 runs, however his strike price of 144.40 was the standout characteristic of his present. Shamyl, however, was third on the run-scorer’s record with 452 runs, however hanging at 118.32.
The high three’s choice suggests Pakistan wish to begin explosively with the bat within the 50-over format. Shaheen hoped the trio will play their pure sport.
“I hope they will play their own game and show their skills,” he famous. “So we’re additionally a group very excited to see them and play for Pakistan—not simply for one sequence, however for the long run as properly.
“And I think when the time comes, they also know their role in what’s coming in the future for the World Cup.”
Pakistan’s bowling line-up is more likely to characteristic pacer Haris Rauf alongside with Shaheen, spinners Abrar Ahmed and Faisal Akram and bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf.
Bangladesh, in the meantime, will look to enhance their present within the center overs, each with the bat and ball and shall be making an attempt a brand new mixture within the center order by bringing in Litton Das and Afif Hossain again within the facet. They, too, shall be wanting as much as openers Saif Hassan and Soumya Sarkar to assist the facet get off to a fast begin earlier than stability comply with go well with. The ir bowling assault shall be led by captain and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz alongside with seasoned pacers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain. Pace, nonetheless, will take the centre stage for the hosts.
“Yeah, it’s definitely the plan that we are going to try from now on to play three quicks because, as you say, the World Cup is in South Africa, and that’s the type of cricket we’ll be playing when we get down there,” Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons stated. “There shall be events the place we would play three spinners, however it’s by no means going to return to 1 spinner and two pacers.
“You have to prepare for where you’re going, and three quicks is something we’ll be looking at most of the time,” he added.
Squads:
Pakistan: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shamyl Hussain
Bangladesh: Mehidy Hasan Miraz (captain), Afif Hossain, Litton Das, Mahidul Islam Bhuiyan, Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Rishad Hossain, Saif Hassan, Shoriful Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Tawhid Hridoy.
Published in Dawn, March eleventh, 2026
