Pakistan and Bangladesh will be taking on each other in their last game of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The game will be taking place on Thursday (February 27) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Neither Pakistan nor Bangladesh could book their place in the semifinals as both of them lost their opening two games. Hosts and defending champions Pakistan began their campaign with a loss against New Zealand before suffering a defeat against India as well.
On the other hand, Bangladesh began their campaign with a loss against India before being defeated by New Zealand. So, as Bangladesh and Pakistan gear up for the last game of the tournament, here is the PAK vs BAN match preview.
PAK vs BAN Match Preview- ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Match 9:
PAK vs BAN, Date and Venue:
The upcoming PAK vs BAN match will be played on Thursday (February 27) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The match will be played from 02:30 PM (IST).
Squads:
Pakistan:
Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w/c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Hasnain, Usman Khan
Bangladesh:
Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Mahmudullah, Nasum Ahmed, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nahid Rana
PAK vs BAN key battles:
Babar Azam vs Taskin Ahmed:
Babar Azam is under immense pressure to deliver with the bat in the upcoming game. The former Pakistan captain has been facing severe criticism for his indifferent batting displays in recent times and will be desperate to score big against Bangladesh.
However, his plans could be foiled by Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed. With Babar not at his best, Taskin will be fancying his chances against him and will be backing himself to get the big wicket.
Najmul Hossain Shanto vs Shaheen Afridi:
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto led Bangladesh from the very front in their crucial game against New Zealand. He decided to open the innings and went on to be his team’s top-scorer. The Bangladesh batsman scored 77 runs although his team still lost the game.
With Bangladesh now eyeing a winning end to their campaign, the onus will be on Shanto to give his team a good start with the bat. On the other hand, Shaheen Afridi will be keen to give his team a good start with the ball. Afridi can trouble any batsman with the new ball and he will be backing himself to get Shanto’s wicket.
Salman Agha vs Rishad Hossain:
Salman Agha has been among the runs in recent times. In his last five ODI innings, he has scored one century and scored at least 40 in three other innings. With form on his side, Salman will look to end his Champions Trophy campaign on a good note.
He will be a big threat for Bangladesh and the latter will be keen to get his wicket as early as possible. They will be relying on Rishad Hossain for Salman’s wicket. Rishad has been among the wickets in recent times and will be eyeing the important wicket for his team.
PAK vs BAN Key Players
PAK – Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Afridi will be the key players for Pakistan.
BAN – Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, and Taskin Ahmed will be the key players for Bangladesh.
PAK vs BAN Weather And Pitch Report:
The pitch at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is expected to be flat and favor the batsmen. However, with the weather forecast predicting an overcast and cloudy day, the fast bowlers could also make a big impact in the upcoming game.
As per the weather forecast, there is a 70 percent chance of rain throughout the game. The temperature will be hovering between 13-17 degrees Celsius during the game.
Conclusion:
With only pride to play for, both Bangladesh and Pakistan will be keen to win the upcoming game and end their disappointing campaign on a victorious note.
