Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad decided to bat first after winning the toss against Pakistan in the opening match of the three-match T20 International series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today. The hosts brought up four changes to the squad from the disappointing Twenty20 World Cup, including a debut to Saif Hassan, one of the four
newcomers of Bangladesh squad.
Bangladesh indeed made sweeping changes to the squad for the series, calling up six players. Batter Najmul Hossain Shanto, leg-spinner Aminul
Islam Biplob and wicket-keeper Nurul Hasan Sohan who missed a couple of World Cup game due to injury were also recalled.
Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shamim Patwari were left out from the last game that Bangladesh played against Australia in the World Cup. Pakistan who lost the semifinal to Australia rested left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi who is one of the four changes of the side from the World Cup party.
Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Wasim came in the place of Mohammad Hafeez, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim and Afridi.
Line Ups:
Bangladesh: Naim Sheikh, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain, Mahmudullah (capt),
Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed,
Mustafizur Rahman, Aminul Islam Biplob
Pakistan: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Haider
Ali, Shoaib Malik, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali,
Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr
Umpires: Masudur Rahman, Sharfudoulla
TV Umpire: Gazi Shohel
Match Referee: Neeyamur Rashid