The debutants include Sahibzada Farhan, who impressed in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026, scoring a record 383 runs in seven matches, along with Maaz Sadaqat and Shamyl Hussain. All three will be appearing in their first 50-over international match for Pakistan.
“There will be like three debuts, of course. Sahibzada is the top performer in T20s and also in List ‘A’ cricket for Pakistan. Maaz Sadaqat will open, and Shamyl Hussain will play at one down. These three will make their debut. Hopefully, they will play their own game and show their skills,” Afridi said in the pre-match press conference as quoted by The Daily Star.
“We are excited to see them play for Pakistan, not just for one series but with the future in mind. They have experience playing here. They have played the Bangladesh league here. Sahibzada and Maaz have played here, and a few others were also involved last year. They are familiar with the grounds and conditions, and I hope they will play their best cricket,” he added.
Pakistan are enjoying good form in the ODI format, having won their last two home series against South Africa and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh, meanwhile, come into the series on the back of a victory over the West Indies in their most recent ODI outing.
Commenting on the upcoming clash, captain Shaheen Afridi said that both teams can expect a tough contest, as they gear up for the ODI World Cup 2027 in South Africa.
“Any team is strong at home. Bangladesh are a good side, and they played well against the West Indies. But we are also ready. We performed well in the last two ODI series against South Africa and Sri Lanka, and we want to continue that,” he said
Pakistan have made a big change in their squad for the series. They have dropped Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub from the team.
Pakistan vs Bangladesh: When and Where to Watch
Match Date: 11 March 2026
Time: 1:45 pm IST
Venue: Sher-e-Bangla, Dhaka
TV Broadcast in India: The first ODI between Pakistan and Bangladesh will not be telecasted
on any channel in India.
Live Streaming: The first ODI between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be streamed live on the FanCode app and website in India.
PAK vs BAN Squads:
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Abdul Samad, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Faisal Akram, Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Shamyl Hussain.
Bangladesh: Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Litton Das (wk), Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (c), Mahidul Islam Ankon, Tanvir Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Saif Hassan, Shoriful Islam, Rishad Hossain, Nahid Rana.
