Bangladesh and Pakistan head to Dhaka decider with ODI series level at 1-1
This ODI series between Bangladesh and Pakistan has swung violently from one side to the other, and now it comes down to a single match in Mirpur on Sunday.
How Bangladesh drew first blood
The first ODI on March 11 was a demolition job. Nahid Rana, the 23-year-old pace bowler who has quickly become Bangladesh's most dangerous weapon, ripped through Pakistan's top order with figures of 5-24 from seven overs. Pakistan never recovered, bowled out for just 114 in 30.4 overs. It was their lowest ODI total against Bangladesh.
Faheem Ashraf top-scored with 37, but no other batsman passed 31. Bangladesh barely broke a sweat in reply, chasing the target in 15.1 overs with eight wickets in hand. Tanzid Hasan smashed an unbeaten 67 off 42 balls, hitting seven fours and five sixes to seal a comprehensive win.
Pakistan's fierce response
Whatever Shaheen Shah Afridi said in the dressing room between matches clearly worked. Pakistan came out swinging in the second ODI on Friday, with Maaz Sadaqat blasting 75 off 46 balls at the top of the innings. He and Sahibzada Farhan put on 103 for the opening wicket before Farhan fell for 31. Salman Agha contributed 64 off 62 balls lower down as Pakistan posted 274 all out in 47.3 overs.
Rain and hail interrupted the chase, and Bangladesh's revised target under DLS jumped to 243 from 32 overs. That proved far too steep. Litton Das hit 41 off 33 balls and Towhid Hridoy made 28, but Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets for 41 runs and were bowled out for 114. Pakistan won by 128 runs on the DLS method.
What is at stake on Sunday
Both teams need this series for very different reasons. Pakistan are trying to rebuild under Shaheen's captaincy after a poor T20 World Cup campaign, and a series loss in Bangladesh would pile more pressure on a team already short on confidence. Bangladesh, who were withdrawn from the T20 World Cup, want to show they can compete at home on the international stage. A series win would do exactly that.
The head-to-head history is firmly in Pakistan's favour in ODIs, but Bangladesh's last home ODI series against them in 2015 ended in a 3-0 sweep. Conditions in Mirpur tend to suit the home side, and if Nahid Rana can produce anything close to his first-ODI spell, Bangladesh will fancy their chances.
The third ODI starts at 2:15 PM local time on Sunday, March 15.
