ICC World Cup 2011 warm-ups: Pakistan vs. Bangladesh - Match Preview
Pakistan would be eager to wash away the controversial tag and continue the World Cup campaign from where they left their triumphant New Zealand tour earlier this month when they face off Bangladesh in a warm-up match at the Sher-e-Bangla
National Stadium in Mirpur today.
Whilst the Men in Green will be playing the first of their two practice matches, the Bengali Tigers will be winding up their warm-ups after trouncing Canada with a nine-wicket win in their opening warm up match at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium,
Chittagong.
Pakistan have undergone a troubled build-up to the mega cricketing event after three of their key players, opening batsman Salman Butt and new-ball pair of Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, were banned on charges of spot-fixing in a Test
match against England in Lord's last year.
But the side seems to be out of off-the-field issues as the side coming from a successful tour of New Zealand winning both the Test and One Day series against the Black Caps. This is the kind of build-up the side needed going into the esteemed
event.
Pakistan sits outside the list of top four favourites in the ICC 2011 World Cup but one can never play down their chances in a game or tournament, given their unpredictable nature as the side has defeated cricketing giants on its day in
the past.
The flamboyant Pakistan captain, Shahid Afridi, has also sent a warning to the World Cup favourites not to take them lightly.
"We all know how important the World Cup is for us and for our country. The message for other teams is that no one should underestimate us", said Afridi.
Shakib Al Hasan’s team - upbeat after a cakewalk against Canada - will be, in real sense, tested against the Men in Green, who will be high on confidence after winning a One Day series after a gap of two-and-a-half years.
However, the coach and captain of Bangladesh have played down the significance of game and taking it as just a practice match. "They will play fourteen players, we'll play thirteen so it's not a real match, just a practice match", said Jamie
Siddons.
While Shakib Al Hasan said, “We'd rather do well in the tournament than in these games”.
Pakistan have got a well settled squad coming from the New Zealand tour and is expected to test 14 players in today’s game. If the side does use 14 players, it will test some of the young players including, Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, and
pace bowler, Junaid Khan, who have never played an international match in the Subcontinent.
The hosts, on the other hand, are aiming to just test extra bowlers in the game and would not experiment with their batting line-up.
So far the teams have met only once in a World Cup clash and the Tigers hold a1-0 advantage over the former World Champions.
Afridi's team will then head to Fatullah to play their second and last practice match against England on Friday, 18 February before their opening league stage match against Kenya in Hambantota on 23 February.
Squad:
Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (C), Misbah-ul-Haq (VC), Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan, Kamran Akmal (wk), Mohammad Hafeez, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Younis
Khan
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (C), Tamim Iqbal (VC), Abdur Razzak, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Naeem Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Raqibul Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam,
Shahriar Nafees, Suhrawadi Shuvo