Pakistan is attempting to maintain its winning streak in the 50-over format against Bangladesh. Historically, Pakistan has secured 34 victories out of 39 One Day Internationals (ODIs) played against Bangladesh, with the latter managing only 5 wins.
The first match of the Dutch-Bangla Bank ODI Series 2026 is being held at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bowl first against Pakistan. The match is scheduled to commence at 1:45 PM IST (2:15 PM local time).
This match marks Bangladesh’s return to 50-over cricket after missing the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The weather forecast for Dhaka indicates a maximum temperature of 32°C, with warnings of scattered thunderstorms on match day.
Team Updates
Pakistan’s captain, Shaheen Afridi, has confirmed that three players will be making their debuts in this opening ODI. The playing XI includes Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, and Shamyl Hussain.
On the other hand, Bangladesh’s captain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, leads a team that features key players such as Litton Das and Taskin Ahmed.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz expressed confidence in his team’s performance, stating, “Yeah, definitely. It was an excellent start.” He emphasized the importance of every match for World Cup qualification, saying, “Every match is very important, you know, the qualifies [to] the World Cup.”
Miraz also noted the challenges of bowling in the right areas, mentioning, “If you bowl in the right area all the times, definitely it’s been difficult to because pace is there.” Observers are keen to see how the match unfolds, particularly with the pitch at Shere Bangla National Stadium known to assist spinners as the match progresses.
Following this match, there are two more ODIs remaining in the series, and both teams will be looking to capitalize on their performances to gain an edge in the series.
