Pakistan bat first as T20I series begins against Bangladesh
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first against Bangladesh in the opening match of the three-match T20I series on Wednesday at Gaddafi Stadium.
The new-look Pakistani side has made six changes from the squad that played against New Zealand in March. Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, and Abrar Ahmed have been included in place of Omair Yousuf, Usman Khan, Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Mohammad Ali.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh have named an unchanged XI, fielding the same team that played against the UAE in the third T20I in Sharjah last week.
Pakistan XI: Salman Agha (Captain), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Hassan Ali, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
Bangladesh XI: Litton Das (Captain), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Jaker Ali (wk), Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Babar, Rizwan slip in ICC T20I rankings; Haris makes significant leap
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday released the latest T20I player rankings, revealing a significant reshuffle among Pakistani cricketers. Former captain Babar Azam has dropped three places to 12th, while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has slipped one spot to 13th. Notably, no Pakistani player features in the top 10 of the current rankings. Australia's Travis Head leads the chart, followed by India's Abhishek Sharma and England's Phil Salt in second and third positions, respectively. Haris moves up, Shaheen slides in ICC T20I bowler's rankings Despite the decline of senior players, emerging talent Mohammad Haris has made a remarkable jump of 210 places, securing the 30th spot. Additionally, Hasan Nawaz has climbed 57 positions to reach 46th place. Other Pakistani players have also shown progress: Saim Ayub has moved up four spots to 61st, and captain Salman Ali Agha has advanced 42 places to 76th. The latest rankings highlight the evolving dynamics of Pakistan's T20I squad, with younger players making significant strides on the international stage.
Express Tribune
15 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Aus confirm Pakistan tour in 2026
Cricket Australia (CA) is gearing up for a white-ball series tour to Pakistan, scheduled for early next year, signaling a positive step towards strengthening cricketing ties between the two nations. During an online press conference, CA CEO Todd Greenberg conveyed his positive outlook on the upcoming tour, emphasising the significance of the series against Pakistan and the ongoing collaboration between the two cricket boards. "I believe it will be another good tour of Pakistan. The series against Pakistan is an important part of our schedule. There has been good communication between Pakistan and Australia regarding both red-ball and white-ball series," Greenberg said. "We need to look for more opportunities for series, which we will definitely do," he added. Looking back on the 2022 tour, Greenberg expressed enthusiasm about future matches in Pakistan. "We would like to play a series in Pakistan. In 2022, we toured Pakistan after a long gap, and the tour was very successful. The Australian team received a warm welcome. It would be great if such series continue to happen." Greenberg emphasised the league's commitment to bringing in talent from Pakistan, recognising the popularity of Pakistani players among fans, and explained the mutual benefits of such participation. "There is no doubt that Pakistani players are very popular within the community. Our effort is to attract players from all over the world for the BBL," he said. "If leading Pakistani players come, they will definitely enjoy it here. The league will benefit greatly from these top players for their teams and franchises," he added. Regarding player participation, Greenberg confirmed, "I hope we will definitely attract some players for the next edition of the BBL." It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan last toured Australia in November 2024 for a white-ball series. Under Mohammad Rizwan's captaincy, the Men in Green secured a historic 2-1 victory in the ODI series - their first series win in Australia since 2002. However, Australia bounced back strongly, winning the subsequent T20I series 3-0. For the unversed, according to the Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 202527, Australia are expected to tour Pakistan for a white-ball series featuring three ODIs and three T20Is in FebruaryMarch. White-ball camp The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has summoned 22 top white-ball performers for a camp, including the senior trio of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi on Monday. According to the details, the shortlisted 22 players will report for the camp here in three groups, scheduled to be held on June 3, 4 and 5 respectively. During the camp, the PCB will inform the players about the future course of action, while their fitness and respective performances will also be analysed. Sources further suggested that senior players will participate in all three training sessions, which will also feature the top performers of the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10. Furthermore, Pakistan's white-ball head coach Mike Hesson will meet with top performers and will update them regarding the future course of action. Players called up for training camp: Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shahid Aziz, Abbas Afridi, Salman Mirza, Mir Hamza, Abdullah Shafique, Khawaja Nafay, Haider Ali, Ahmed Daniyal, Mehran Mumtaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Nawaz, Aamir Jamal, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Ali Raza and Tayyab Tahir. For the unversed, Pakistan's white-ball entered a new era under the leadership of former New Zealand head coach Hesson. The 50-year-old had an ideal start to his tenure as the green shirts registered a 3-0 T20I series whitewash against Bangladesh, which also marked their first series triumph at home since December 2021. Following the drought-ending series victory over Bangladesh, Pakistan are scheduled for a brief break before touring back to Bangladesh next month for a potential three-match T20I series.
Express Tribune
17 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Saeed proud of weightlifter Sybil Sohail's gold medal
Farhan Saeed, former frontman of the renowned Pakistani band Jal and now a singer-songwriter and actor, took to Instagram to publicly express his pride after Sybil Sohail became the first Pakistani woman to win the gold medal at the Asian Weightlifting Masters Championship in Doha, Qatar. In a simple Instagram Story, Saeed tagged Sohail herself and wrote, "Proud moment. Congratulations." Adding a Pakistani flag emoji at the end of his short but sweet message to lock in his national pride, Saeed's simple message captured the essence of the country's joy and pride in Sohail's achievement. This was not the first time Saeed has used his social media platform to highlight Pakistani sporting excellence. When javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem clinched gold at the Asian Athletics Championship by defeating a strong Indian contender in the men's javelin final in May, Saeed took to Instagram Story to extend his congratulations on the historic victory. Sohail, 31, competed in the 59kg weight category in Doha. She lifted a total of 95kg — 40kg in the snatch and 55kg in the clean and jerk — to secure her place at the top of the podium. This gold medal marked not only her debut in international weightlifting but also a significant milestone for Pakistani women in strength sports. Previously a decorated powerlifter, Sohail holds titles such as Commonwealth Powerlifting Champion and Asian Commonwealth Powerlifting Champion. Transitioning to weightlifting, she set out with a clear ambition: to raise Pakistan's flag at major Asian events. "I aim to make my country proud, make my family proud. We have sacrificed a lot for the sport, but I need to make sure that all of that effort and dedication pays off," Sohail told The Express Tribune in Doha.
