Shaheen Afridi grabbed the early advantage in Mirpur on Sunday, winning the toss and inviting Bangladesh to bat first in this high-stakes series decider. With the scoreline poised at 1-1, the Tigers face a daunting task at the Shere Bangla National Stadium as they look to secure a famous series victory over a revamped Pakistan side.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz keeps the faith with an unchanged lineup, ignoring the clamour for Soumya Sarkar’s return. The skipper trusts his current balance of three pacers and two spinners to withstand the early Pakistani onslaught. This tactical stubbornness places massive pressure on the top order to find their feet after the rain-soaked collapse in the second match.
Pakistan gaffer Shaheen Afridi gambled on youth for this final showdown, handing international debuts to Ghazi Ghori and Saad Masood. Injuries to Shamyl Hussain and Hussain Talat forced his hand, while Mohammad Wasim dropped out to accommodate the return of leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed. These changes suggest a Pakistan side hungry for experimentation even with the trophy on the line.
Tensions still simmer following the Salman Ali Agha run-out controversy that ignited the previous encounter. Miraz dismissed any talk of a lingering grudge, though he admitted his side failed to execute their plans during the opening skirmishes of the last defeat. He labelled the Mirpur track a very good wicket to bat on and expects his hitters to rebound with intent.
The hosts must navigate a tricky opening hour against Shaheen’s new ball before the predicted rain clouds threaten to disrupt proceedings. Miraz’s insistence on continuity reflects a captain backing his men to learn from their mistakes rather than panic under pressure. If the Bangladeshi openers blunt the new-ball threat, they could post a total that tests the nerves of Pakistan’s greenhorn debutants.
Playing XI:
Bangladesh: Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (C), Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana.
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Abdul Samad, Saad Masood, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (C), Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
