1st ODI – Pakistan vs. Bangladesh – Dhaka – Dec 1, Thursday – 12:30 PM PST
Live on PTV HOME
After their dreary performance in the only T20 against Pakistan on Monday, on a pitch that was ill suited for international cricket, Bangladesh has a point to prove. For long many a cricket pundits have expressed their reservations on the Tigers joining the elite cricket club of test playing nations. Let there be no mistake, the pool of cricketers they possess are talented enough to compete against top sides day-in and day-out, but what the lack in abundance is the will to fight it out till the end. Can Bangladesh find their Imran Khan in this series, who can transform their abundance of gift into successful results?
Pakistan on the other hand is a team on the rise. They have yet to lose a bilateral series this year, having just come off a whitewash of a strong Sri Lankan team in all three formats – Pakistan will hope to keep the momentum going against the minnows, before the all important series against England in the UAE. The term mercurial has been often used to describe Pakistani cricketers, but they have been anything but mercurial during the last year. Unyielding is a more apt term, one can use to describe the current players. Contributions from all 11 players is what makes this team so successful, Bangladesh will be looking to learn some lessons in team building from Misbah.
Impact Players:
He has taken a lot of stick from the Pakistan fans for continuing to be selected despite his below-par performance so far in his career, but Imran Farhat will be hoping that he can replicate his performance against the Sri Lankan’s during the ODI series to help curtail the perception that he is only their due to his father-in-law. He wasn’t great in the last series, but is showing some sort of solidness - here is hoping for more.
Mahmudullah is a solid all-rounder who has the potential to swing the match in his team’s direction. He hasn’t been in great form lately, but all that could change in a moment of inspiration. He has the added responsibility of being the vice-captain as well. One feels that to get more out of this talented cricketer, he needs to be sent up the order.
Stats:
Pakistan and Bangladesh have played 26 ODI’s against each other, with Bangladesh just winning 1 out of the 26 and that is perhaps their most famous and controversial win.
The last time these two teams met, was in 2010 Asia Cup, where Shahid Afridi scored a cracking century (124 off 60 balls) and Pakistan piled up 385 in their allotted 50 overs, and won it comfortably by 139 runs.
Younis Khan is the active Pakistani player who has the highest number of runs against Bangladesh with 432 in 14 innings.
Alok Kapali has 253 runs in just 9 matches against Pakistan, the highest for any Bangladeshi player.
Shahid Afridi has the highest number of wickets for Pakistan against Bangladesh - 24 at an average of just 19.41.
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