Who: Pakistan vs Bangladesh
What: ICC Champions Trophy Group A match
When: Thursday, February 27 at 2pm (09:00 GMT)
The place: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Comply with Al Jazeera’s stay textual content and picture commentary stream from 05:00 GMT.
Pakistan’s hurting gamers might be motivated by pleasure of their lifeless rubber in opposition to Bangladesh, head coach Aaqib Javed stated, after the hosts have been dumped out of the Champions Trophy within the group stage.
The defending champions’ hopes of reaching the semifinals have been ended after defeats to New Zealand and India, leaving their last Group A recreation in Rawalpindi inconsequential.
Rain washed out the Australia-South Africa Group B match on Tuesday and extra is predicted on Thursday, leaving Pakistan in peril of ending fourth and final on web run-rate.
No matter occurs, it will likely be a disappointing conclusion to Pakistan’s first internet hosting of a significant worldwide cricket competitors in three many years.
“There are not any excuses, there shouldn’t be any in life, however I can guarantee you that the gamers are extra damage than the followers and wish to depart a mark within the final recreation,” stated Aaqib on Wednesday.
“The gamers aren’t glad, nobody is glad after shedding, however everybody tries arduous to win, and by doing so, we now have just lately gained a sequence in Australia and South Africa.”
Pakistan beat Australia 2-1 in November – their first ODI sequence win there for 22 years – earlier than whitewashing South Africa 3-0 within the build-up to the Champions Trophy.
“That is the Champions Trophy, the place the eight greatest groups are enjoying, so after two defeats we now have to start out from zero,” stated Aaqib.
“Each recreation is performed for pleasure, so we wish to depart a mark on Thursday,” stated Aaqib.
Their Champions Trophy flop left former Pakistan gamers and followers offended over the continual failure of the crew, having additionally crashed out of the 2023 World Cup and Twenty20 World Cup final 12 months, each within the first spherical.
Aaqib admitted shedding to archrivals India left followers emotional.
“Persons are extra concerned in an India-Pakistan match and they don’t settle for a defeat in opposition to India and that defeat in Dubai has left them extra dejected,” stated Aaqib.
Pakistan have been beneath par in opposition to a formidable India in Dubai on Sunday, shedding by six wickets.
“We managed simply 241 in batting and when going through a robust batting line-up, you assault with a purpose to get wickets, and within the course of, you bowl on either side,” stated Aaqib.
A quick bowler himself, who performed 22 Checks and 163 ODIs for Pakistan, Aaqib backed his struggling tempo trio.
“Individuals blamed two, three gamers, which isn’t right,” stated Aaqib. “For those who assess Shaheen [Afridi], Naseem [Shah] and Haris [Rauf], they’re nonetheless one of the best bowlers on the earth.”
Pakistan vs Bangladesh: Head-to-head report
By way of match outcomes, Pakistan maintain an higher hand over their South Asian opponents in all codecs of the sport.
In ODIs, the hosts have overwhelmed Bangladesh in 34 of their 39 encounters with the final one coming on the World Cup 2023 in India.
Bangladesh’s first of 5 wins got here on the World Cup 1999 in England, the place they famously beat the mighty Pakistan facet of the Nineteen Nineties within the group stage.
The groups have by no means confronted one another within the Champions Trophy’s eight earlier editions.
Type information: Pakistan
The hosts got here into the event on the again of three ODI sequence wins however swiftly left the shape behind to lose their first two group matches. From their misfiring batting lineup to poor fielding and below-par bowling, not a lot has gone Pakistan’s method within the event.
Final 5 ODIs: L W L L L
Discussion board information: Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s kind in ODI cricket has been abysmal of late, with the Tigers shedding all three matches away to West Indies in December on the again of a 2-1 sequence loss in opposition to Afghanistan in November.
Final 5 ODIs: L L L L L
Crew information: Pakistan
Pakistan may decide to make a few adjustments of their lineup for his or her final group match as it’s inconsequential to their destiny within the event. Center-order batter Tayyab Tahir may lose his spot to Kamran Ghulam, whereas the hosts may be tempted to fit in Usman Khan for Imam-ul-Haq.
Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain, wicketkeeper),Salman Ali Agha (vice captain), Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Crew information: Bangladesh
Bangladesh are anticipated to area the identical XI that confronted New Zealand on Monday.
Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Towhid Hridoy, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan, Nahid Rana
