Pakistan's Bowling Attack Shines as they Face Bangladesh in Super Four Match
Pakistan's bowling attack has proven to be formidable, making them a challenging opponent for any batting lineup. With Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf leading the attack, Indian batters struggled to cope in their recent match. Bangladesh will now face a similar challenge in the first Super Four fixture of the tournament.
The timing and location couldn't be better for Pakistan as they enter this phase of the tournament. Coming off a strong bowling performance against India, which earned them honors despite the rain-shortened match, they will play their final home game in Lahore. This gives them added motivation to perform well and gain an early advantage. One area Pakistan will hope to improve is the performance of Fakhar Zaman, who has had a quiet August.
Bangladesh's journey to this stage of the tournament was marked by a disappointing start. However, their impressive batting display against Afghanistan saved them. The decision to send Mehidy Hasan as an opener paid off, with the all-rounder scoring his second ODI hundred. However, facing Pakistan's pace and swing will provide a new challenge, especially without Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.
The match between Pakistan and Bangladesh will take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. While a good batting track is expected, the extremely hot weather, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees, might prompt some rotation among the fast bowlers.
In terms of team composition, Pakistan is unlikely to make any changes from their successful previous matches unless extreme heat conditions require resting one of their fast bowlers. Bangladesh will have Litton Das back in the squad after recovering from illness, but the absence of Najmul Hossain Shanto due to a hamstring injury means that Litton is likely to bat at three. The opening combination of Mehidy Hasan and Mohammad Naim will remain intact.
Probable XI:
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (w), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Mehidy Hasan, Litton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (w), Shakib Al Hasan (c), Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud
