Pakistan and Bangladesh will feature against each other in the 31st match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday, October 31, starting at 2:00 PM IST. Pakistan have lost four matches on the bounce for the first time in World Cup history, keeping them sixth on the points table with four points and a net run rate of -0.387. Babar Azam and Co. suffered their latest defeat against South Africa in Chennai as the Proteas chased down 271 with only one wicket to spare.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, are ninth in the World Cup 2023 points table with only one win from their six matches. They beat Afghanistan by six wickets in their tournament opener before suffering five defeats on the trot.
The Shakib Al Hasan-led team lost by 87 runs against the Netherlands in their latest game of the tournament.
The Dutch notched 229 runs after batting field, courtesy of captain Scott Edwards’ gritty half-century. Despite chasing a modest target, the Bangladesh batters crumbled to a four-for by Paul van Meekeren, scoring only 142 runs in the chase. Mehidy Hasan Miraz top scored with 35 runs and he was the only batter to score more than 21 runs for the Bangladeshi side.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, will play their second game at the Eden Gardens while Pakistan will feature at the venue for the first time in the tournament. The Bangladesh team have only won five of their 38 ODIs versus Pakistan, the latest by 37 runs in the 2018 Asia Cup.
The Bangla Tigers are expected to field the same playing XI from the Netherlands clash.
Openers: Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan
Litton Das has scored 180 runs in six matches this tournament, including half-centuries versus England and India. The 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter will be key in negating the threat of the Pakistan seamers with the new ball.
Tanzid Hasan showcased a lot of promise in his fifty against India but it hasn’t kicked off his form in the tournament. The left-handed batter averages only 16.66 but his boundary-hitting ability would be crucial at Kolkata on Tuesday.
Middle order: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim
Najmul Hossain Shanto notched an unbeaten 59 in the victory against Afghanistan to begin his campaign. However, it has been followed by a string of single-digit scores in the next five matches.
Mushfiqur Rahim, on the other hand, has averaged 33.20 in the tournament, scoring 166 runs while slamming half-centuries against England and New Zealand. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter will be key in raising the tempo of scoring in the middle overs.
All-rounders: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan
The four spin-bowling all-rounders of Bangladesh will maintain the balance in the team in both innings.
Mahmudullah is the leading run-getter for Bangladesh in the World Cup 2023 with 218 runs in four innings, including a 111 against South Africa two games ago. He is the designated finisher in this team and also chips in with a few handy overs with the ball.
Skipper Shakib Al Hasan, meanwhile, has scalped seven wickets in five matches at an economy rate of 5.14. However, he hasn’t made the most of his opportunities with the bat, scoring only 61 runs. In 17 ODIs against Pakistan, Shakib Al Hasan has accumulated 606 runs, averaging 43.28 and notching six fifty-plus scores.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz has registered 144 runs and six wickets in the tournament, making him the most effective Bangladeshi all-rounder in this tournament. Mahedi Hasan has played only twice but has picked up six wickets, making him a dangerous proposition.
Bowlers: Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam
Shoriful Islam has been the most prolific bowler for Bangladesh in World Cup 2023, taking eight wickets in six matches. The pacers get assistance at the Eden Gardens, especially with the new ball, and Shoriful will be key to the Bangla Tigers making the most out of it.
Experienced pacer Mustafizur Rahman has scalped only four wickets in the tournament but he has registered nine wickets in just two previous ODIs against Pakistan. Taskin Ahmed, meanwhile, has also picked up four wickets this World Cup.
Bangladesh Predicted Playing XI:Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam
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