Tigers’ road to WC begins with Pakistan ODIs

Bangladesh begin a new chapter on the road to next year’s Cricket World Cup as they take on Pakistan in the opening match of a three-game series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday. The series opener is scheduled to start at 2:15pm Bangladesh time.
For Bangladesh, this series marks their first international outing in over three months and their first ODI since October last year. Currently ranked 10th in the ICC ODI standings, the Tigers face the dual challenge of closing 
the gap on the top eight — which guarantees automatic World Cup qualification — while integrating fresh talent and re-establishing their ODI identity.
Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz acknowledged the pressure but stressed a match-by-match approach. “There are a lot of ODIs this year. Since the last World Cup in 2023, we haven’t played many ODIs, and the gaps between games made it difficult for us. Rankings are important, yes, but we’re focusing on each match. Hopefully, good results will follow,” he said.
Miraz also highlighted the opportunity this series provides to players to showcase their skills. “Every player gets a huge opportunity to play continuous ODI cricket. We’ll be playing result-oriented games rather than experimenting. Ultimately, the outcome matters, especially with a World Cup coming up,” he said.
He urged his teammates to take responsibility to help Bangladesh reclaim their ODI stature, especially while batting in the middle overs, an area the Tigers have been struggling. To address the issue, Bangladesh brought back experienced Litton Kumar Das at number five, while Afif Hossain Dhrubo might feature at number six. Miraz himself is likely to drop down the order to lengthen the batting.
“It’s a format that requires adaptability. Batters, in particular, must take responsibility and know how to handle every situation. Every player must perform if we want to build a competitive team. As captain, I will back every player,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan arrive with confidence and a slightly different mission. Their World Cup 2027 qualification is effectively secured, giving them the luxury of experimentation and youth development. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi confirmed that three players — Sahibzada Farhan, Shamyl Hussain, and Maaz Sadaqat — will make their ODI debuts in Mirpur, while established names like Babar Azam and Saim Ayub are being rested.
“Look, no one is dropped for this series. We just want to give opportunities to our youngsters because they are our future,” Shaheen said. “When the time comes, they will know their roles and what is coming in the future. This is a good opportunity for the youngsters to go out and show their skills.”
Despite including several debutants, Shaheen emphasised that Pakistan will not take Bangladesh lightly. “Any team playing at home is a strong team. Bangladesh are a good side and they play very good cricket in home conditions. We are prepared. We also played our last two ODI series against South Africa and Sri Lanka and played very good cricket. The plan is to continue that momentum in this series,” he said.
The Mirpur pitch is expected to provide some assistance for fast bowlers, which could benefit both sides. For Bangladesh, it offers a chance for seamers to make early inroads, while Pakistan’s pace-heavy attack, led by Shaheen himself, is expected to exploit the conditions. Several Pakistan players with prior experience in the Bangladesh Premier League are likely to adapt quickly.