The series marks Bangladesh’s return to 50-over cricket after missing out on the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Both teams are looking to establish their strengths as they enter this three-match ODI series.
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Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi confirmed that three players will make their ODI debuts against Bangladesh. The debutants are Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, and Shamyl Hussain. Afridi highlighted Farhan’s impressive performance, stating, “There will be like three debuts, of course. Sahibzada is the top performer in T20s and also in List ‘A’ cricket for Pakistan.” Farhan notably scored a record 383 runs in seven matches during the T20 World Cup 2026.
In contrast, Bangladesh enters the series following a victory over the West Indies in their most recent ODI. Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz won the toss and elected to bowl first, indicating a strategic approach to the match.
Shaheen Afridi expressed excitement about the new players, saying, “We are excited to see them play for Pakistan, not just for one series but with the future in mind.” He acknowledged the challenge posed by Bangladesh, stating, “Bangladesh are a good side, and they played well against the West Indies. But we are also ready.”
As the match approaches, observers are keen to see how Pakistan’s new lineup performs, especially given that they have dropped established players Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, and Saim Ayub from the team for this series.
The first ODI match is set to take place at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on March 11, 2026. The match time is scheduled for 1:45 PM IST, with a start time of 2:15 PM Bangladesh Standard Time. Notably, the match will not be telecasted on any channel in India; however, fans can watch the live stream on the FanCode app and website.
As the teams prepare for the match, the cricketing community anticipates a competitive series that could set the tone for future encounters between these two sides.