Pakistan have won the toss and decided to bat against Bangladesh in the first of the three-match T20I series at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Speaking at the toss, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said his side would bat first to put early pressure on the opposition.
“We are going to bat first and try to score above par, and try to put pressure on them. I think it’s a good wicket. It doesn’t change much, but I just wanted to put scoreboard pressure on them,” he said.
The Pakistan skipper acknowledged that selecting the playing XI was a challenging task, given the form of all 16 players in the squad. “It was a tough decision to make XI, because the 16 we have, they all are in very good form, and they had a great PSL,” he noted.
Agha emphasised that the team’s approach is centred on modern-day cricket – aggressive with the bat, ball, and in the field. “We just wanted to play modern-day cricket, and want to take the game on all the time… and this is what you expect from us going forward,” he added.
He also spoke about the pressure of international cricket, noting that while it exists, it can be a positive force. “When you are representing yourself, it does add pressure, but it’s a good pressure if you do well, and then you become a bigger star as well.”
“Obviously, in PSL, if you do well, you become a star in Pakistan. But when you make an impact at the international level, you become an international star. That’s what players are aiming for,” he said.
Pakistan-Bangladesh T20I series to proceed without DRS technology
Salman concluded by saying he expects every player to contribute meaningfully. “I just want to do well, personally, and contribute to the team’s win. I expect the same from my players – to add value and help win the game, whether they are batting or bowling.”
Bangladesh captain Litton Das reflected on the previous UAE series, acknowledging that while his team performed well, they were unable to clinch the series win. “But it’s a new game, a new venue, and a new ball game,” he said.
He added that despite the absence of two senior players, confidence remains high in the squad’s younger talent.
“We back the new players. It is a good opportunity for them as well. I don’t mind batting or bowling here, but we would have bowled first if we had won the toss.”
Playing XIs
Pakistan made six changes to their lineup that featured in the five-match away T20I series against New Zealand in March, while Bangladesh are fielding the same side that suffered a 2-1 series defeat against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) earlier this month.
Pakistan playing XI
Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Salman Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed.
Bangladesh
Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Litton Das (c), Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Jaker Ali (wk), Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud and Shoriful Islam.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.