Deadline: February 7, 2020 at 10:30 AM IST
Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
Pitch report
Although there will be enough purchase for the pacers, the pitch is expected to favour the batsmen throughout the match. However, toss will play a crucial role: the team batting first has won 5 of 9 games — 4 of which were innings defeat. Make your fantasy team wisely.
Fantasy team
We have opted for a fantasy team on the basis of players’ impact, recent performances, and credit points.
You can also check players’ performances in the last 5 matches. Tap on the players’ images to get the data while making your fantasy team.
Wicketkeeper: Liton Das
Batsmen: Babar Azam (c), Abid Ali, Azhar Ali (vc), Shan Masood, Shan Masood, Tamim Iqbal
All-rounders: Mahmudullah, Mominul Haque
Bowlers: Taijul Islam, Yasir Shah, Shaheen Afridi
NOTE: Pick your fantasy cricket team wisely.
Power players
Babar Azam is the only player from both teams to feature in the top 10 list of ICC Test Rankings for batsmen. His last 7 innings read 1, 104, 97, 8, 102*, 60, and 100*. Given Bangladesh’s bowling looks thin on numbers and experience, Babar is likely to add more hundreds to his tally. In his three-year career, he has managed 1,707 runs at 42.6 including 4 hundreds and 13 fifties.
Earlier this week, Tamim Iqbal registered the highest individual score in Bangladesh’s First-Class cricket. Playing for East Zone, he remained unbeaten on 334 runs, scoring 42 fours and 3 sixes.
Bangladesh have an ordinary record against leg-spinners, making Yasir Shah a player to watch out for. He will get more and more spin as the match progresses. However, everyone’s well aware of his bowling abilities. After his hundred at Adelaide 3 months ago, batting skills are closely watched.
Top picks
Azhar Ali followed his hundred against Sri Lanka with another one in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. He has been Pakistan’s most consistent batsman in the format over the years, and is the only one in the squad to have a triple-century to his name.
Abid Ali‘s consecutive hundreds against Sri Lanka made headlines. His opening partner Shah Masood too was among runs. The duo will be expected to lay a strong foundation against a fragile Bangladesh bowling.
The onus of keeping the innings together will be on Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque and his deputy Mahmudullah. Both have been blowing hot and cold. There’s no better time to prove their mettle.
Match prediction
Bangladesh will be without their two best cricketers of all time and a mainstay pacer. To put things into perspective, all odds are against them. The fact that they lost all five Tests in 2019 makes matters worse for them.
Probable XIs
Pakistan: Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali (c), Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque (c), Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Liton Das (wk), Taijul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain
Also, get to know the tips & tricks on how to play fantasy cricket.