Dhaka is set to host the rubber match of the Pakistan-Bangladesh ODI series on Sunday, with both sides hungry for series glory after splitting the first two encounters.
In a stunning turnaround, Pakistan crushed Bangladesh by 128 runs in the second ODI. Mehran Sadakat’s all-round brilliance – 75 off 46 and 3/23 – headlined their effort, backed by Salman Agha’s gritty 64 and Rizwan’s 44. Shaheen Afridi (2/22) and Haris Rauf (3 wickets) then orchestrated a batting collapse, bundling Bangladesh out for 114 while defending 243.
Bangladesh had opened with a commanding 8-wicket win in the opener, but their batsmen crumbled like a house of cards in the second. Key players Tanzid, Saif, Shanto, and Litton Das underperformed, leaving Rishad Hossain and Mehidy Miraz’s wickets in vain.
Head-to-head stats tilt heavily towards Pakistan: 35 victories in 41 ODIs. The Sher-e-Bangla pitch, known for assisting pacers with seam movement and grip, has seen first-innings scores average 218 and chases 186 – perfect for a tense finish.
Rain threatens to disrupt proceedings, with predictions of showers, overcast skies, 31°C maximum, and 21°C minimum. As the series hangs in balance, tactical battles and individual heroics will decide the champion.