PAK vs BAN 3rd ODI: Shaheen Afridi Leads Pakistan’s Comeback

Two ODIs in Mirpur have given us scorecards which are rather startling: Pakistan 114 all out, then Pakistan 274 all out, and Bangladesh 114 all out in reply. The third PAK versus BAN ODI on Sunday, March 15th, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka will therefore decide the series, as the three-match set is currently level at 1-1.

Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Pakistan come into this with some good form, having won the second ODI by 128 runs under the DLS method – a win built on a fast start with the bat and completed by fast bowling which didn’t allow Bangladesh to get comfortable. Bangladesh, captained by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, still remember the first match in which they chased 115 in 15.1 overs and made Pakistan’s batting appear weak.

Mirpur hasn’t behaved as the slow, spin-friendly pitch that many people anticipated. The pitch has had a green colour to it, the ball has been getting lift, and the weather has already interrupted play once with heavy rain and hail; this has caused both captains to consider the DLS calculations as much as their bowling and batting match-ups.

Is Shaheen Afridi able to change a 0-1 deficit into a series victory with one more methodical and clever 50-over performance? Sunday gives Pakistan a rare chance to finish something which began with a batting failure.

In Depth

The story of this series is easy: each team has been able to dominate a section of an innings, then quickly lose control. The third PAK versus BAN ODI will favour the team which makes its best period last longest, and which then gets through the difficult period with fewer loose dismissals and fewer extra runs given away.

How The Series Became A Single Match

The first ODI was practically over before it had started for Pakistan. Nahid Rana bowled a penetrating spell to the top order with bounce and good length, Mehidy squeezed the middle order, and Pakistan were dismissed for 114 in 30.4 overs.

Bangladesh didn’t simply chase the target, they ran at it. Tanzid Hasan Tamim’s 67 not out from 42 balls turned the target into a practice session, and Bangladesh finished at 115 for 2 with 209 balls remaining.

Pakistan’s response in the second ODI was forceful from the first ball. Maaz Sadaqat made 75 from 46 balls, Pakistan went to 85 without loss after 10 overs, and then the innings slowed once the opening partnership was broken.

There was still a twist to come. Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan added 109 for the fourth wicket, then Agha’s strange run-out off Mehidy excited the crowd; Rizwan was also out in the same over, and Pakistan were all out for 274 in 47.3 overs.

That late collapse is important as Pakistan go into the third PAK versus BAN ODI. Pakistan scored very quickly at the start, but they still missed opportunities for runs when wickets fell, and Mirpur rarely allows you to recover twice in the same innings.

Rain then fell, the targets were revised, and Bangladesh had to chase 243 in 32 overs. They struggled early, Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy responded with a spell of hitting, and then the chase collapsed, and Bangladesh were bowled out for 114 in 23.3 overs, as Pakistan won by 128 runs using DLS.

Pakistan’s Plan: Control of the New Ball, Calm in the Middle Overs

Shaheen’s pace-focused strategy has worked on these pitches, but Pakistan’s first ODI showed what happens when control is lost. Shaheen and Faheem Ashraf bowled too many wides at the start, and that helped Bangladesh’s powerplay batsmen.

The improvement in the second ODI was obvious: fuller lengths, tighter lines, and fewer loose balls on a length for batsmen to hit. That same control needs to be shown again, since a short and wide start in Mirpur turns into a series of boundaries.

With the bat, Pakistan need two separate parts to their innings. The first part is the hitting of Sadaqat and Sahibzada Farhan, where they look to score 55 to 70 in the first 10 overs without giving away their wickets.

The second part is overs 11 to 35, where Pakistan have twice lost wickets in quick succession. Rizwan and Agha are the players who stabilise the innings here, and the third PAK versus BAN ODI needs them to keep the score moving with singles, then to select the right bowlers to attack.

One of the top three batsmen needs to go on to make a bigger score than a quick start. Rana has already forced mistimed pulls and top edges with the short ball, so Pakistan’s openers need to trust the straight drive first, then to take advantage when the length is shorter.

Pakistan’s spin plan is not as strong as Bangladesh’s, so overs from Abrar Ahmed are important. If Abrar bowls the right length, he can create dot balls which allow Shaheen and Rauf to attack again with a harder ball at the end of the innings.

Shaheen’s bowling task is more than just taking wickets. His first spell needs to build dot balls, and his later spell needs to attack the stumps when the batsmen look for big hits after the powerplay.

Haris Rauf is Pakistan’s threat. His three wicket haul in the second ODI showed what high pace can do on a green pitch, particularly once the required rate goes up after a break for bad weather.

Bangladesh’s Plan: Rana’s Bounce, Fewer Early Gifts.

Bangladesh already have a way of beating this Pakistan team in Mirpur. Rana’s 5 for 24 in the opening ODI included a wicket in each of his first five overs; as a result, Pakistan went from a good beginning to a collapse in just a few minutes.

Bangladesh’s problem is a lack of clarity in their batting. They got 115 in 15.1 overs in the first match, then fell to 15 for 3 in the second ODI, giving Pakistan the kind of beginning that frequently wins DLS-affected games.

That second ODI collapse felt familiar: early movement of the ball, the stumps being threatened, and shots being played at the wrong moment. Shaheen got Shanto out for a duck, and the chase never recovered after being behind the game inside the first seven overs.

The top order mustn’t keep seeking boundaries in the first twenty balls. On a pitch giving the bowlers pace, the safer thing to do is often to play straight, and then show controlled aggression when the ball becomes softer.

Litton’s role is to change the pace without making every delivery a risk, while Hridoy’s task is to bat through the difficult period and keep Bangladesh in the game if early wickets fall once more.

Mehidy remains the most important player. His bowling gives Bangladesh control in the middle of the innings, and his field settings can limit Pakistan’s singles when Rizwan and Agha attempt to build.

Mirpur Conditions: Pace Early, Storm Risk, DLS In The Background

This series has been played on pitches with more grass than many had thought, and this has brought the fast bowlers into the game early. The best batting has still been in the first fifteen overs, when the ball comes on nicely and the outfield is quick.

Dew can change the pitch later in a day/night game. A wet ball can skid on, reduce spin for the spinners, and make cutters harder to manage, so chasing can seem easier after dark if it doesn’t rain.

The weather is another issue. Sunday afternoon in Dhaka carries a risk of thunderstorms, and any break in play can turn a normal chase into a sprint with a new target and fewer overs.

That makes powerplay wickets twice as valuable. It can change a chase into a calculation, where a side that is only a little behind the expected score suddenly needs to take risks every over.

Selection Watch: Talat’s Shoulder And The Balance Call

Pakistan’s main selection issue is around Hussain Talat’s shoulder. He left the field injured in the second ODI and went to hospital for tests; his being able to play shapes Pakistan’s balance.

Talat gives a left-right batting combination, and a seam bowling option that can cover overs 15 to 25. If he can’t play, Pakistan might go for a specialist batter for more depth, or a spinner for matchups in the middle of the innings.

Bangladesh look more settled, but they still have a call to make about safety in the top order. If the pitch stays green, their pace attack can stay as it is, and Mehidy’s spin can keep its hold on the middle overs.

PAK vs BAN 3rd ODI Matchups That Decide The Decider

Maaz Sadaqat vs Nahid Rana sets the tone. Sadaqat has 93 runs across two innings, Rana has six wickets, and the first two overs can change the whole game.

Shaheen Afridi vs Tanzid Hasan Tamim is Bangladesh’s challenge. Tanzid has already taken the game away once, and Shaheen’s best chance is in the same period with the ball angled in, then moving away from the bat.

Mehidy and Rishad Hossain vs Rizwan and Agha shapes the middle overs. Pakistan’s pair like to build with singles, so Bangladesh need tight fields and a firm line where one boundary an over is the most, not two.

Key Takeaways

Wrap-up

The PAK vs BAN 3rd ODI starts at 2:15 pm local time in Dhaka, which is 1:45 pm IST for viewers in India. It has one sure thing: the side that stays calm after the first change in how things are going will win the series. The opening spell should feel more like an IPL powerplay than a slow ODI.

Pakistan have already shown a comeback is possible under Shaheen Afridi, and Bangladesh have already shown they can overwhelm Pakistan on this pitch. If the match stays uninterrupted, the calmer middle overs team should end up on top, then the death overs will decide how much they win by.

Watch the first ten overs, then watch the overs right after the first wicket or the first rain break. That’s where Mirpur has turned good plans into messy cricket, and that’s where the decider will be won.