Tigers aim for batting resurgence in winner-takes-all ODI

Bangladesh national cricket team will face Pakistan national cricket team in a high-stakes showdown in the third and final One Day International at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Sunday, with the series evenly balanced after both sides won one match each.

The hosts began the three-match series emphatically, securing an eight-wicket victory in the opener thanks largely to a brilliant spell from pacer Nahid Rana, who claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in ODI cricket.

However, Bangladesh suffered a heavy setback in the second match, losing by 128 runs under the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method after rain and a hailstorm disrupted play in Mirpur.

The defeat has turned Sunday’s contest, scheduled to begin at 2:15pm, into a winner-takes-all decider.

Despite the loss, Bangladesh can draw confidence from recent history. Since 2015, they have won six bilateral three-match ODI series after losing the second game. The most recent example came in October 2025 against the West Indies cricket team.

The stakes go beyond the series outcome. Bangladesh are currently ranked 10th in the ICC ODI Rankings with 76 rating points. A series victory over Pakistan would lift them to ninth place with 79 points.

That rise could prove crucial in the long term. To secure direct qualification for the main stage of the next ICC Cricket World Cup, Bangladesh must finish among the top eight teams in the rankings by 31 March 2027. Teams outside that bracket will have to progress through a qualifying tournament.

Bangladesh also have a busy ODI calendar ahead. New Zealand national cricket team are scheduled to tour in April for a three-match series, while the Tigers are expected to play 23 ODIs across home and away assignments before the qualification deadline. The schedule may also include a three-match home series against the India national cricket team if the tour proceeds as planned.

For now, however, Bangladesh’s immediate concern is their batting.

The top order struggled badly in the second ODI while chasing a revised target. Pakistan had posted 274, which was later adjusted to 243 from 32 overs following the rain interruption. Bangladesh were bowled out for just 114 in 23.3 overs.

Spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed acknowledged the shortcomings with the bat.

“I think we didn’t bat well,” Mushtaq said after the defeat. “We didn’t start bowling well either, but later we clawed back. Credit goes to the Pakistani bowlers — they bowled really well. We just need to build partnerships, and obviously the weather played a huge role.”

Mushtaq emphasised the importance of quickly moving past the loss.

“We have to forget this game as soon as possible and believe we can win the series,” he said. “In the first match they played very good cricket. When they execute their plans and believe in themselves, they can win the series.”

Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz also stressed that the batting unit must take greater responsibility.

“Yes, we have to improve our batting unit,” Miraz said after the match. “The players have to take responsibility because if you’re not scoring runs, you’re not in a good position.”

Pakistan will enter the decider with momentum after a strong batting display in the second ODI.

They scored 274 after openers Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat shared a brisk 103-run partnership. Although Bangladesh briefly fought back with three quick wickets, Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan rebuilt the innings with a 109-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Salman believes experience could again be decisive in the series finale.

“We have made many partnerships together across formats,” he said. “I told Rizwan that we need two partnerships to win the series. We have already made one, and hopefully we can do it again in the final match.”

Bangladesh are expected to make at least two changes for the decider.

Afif Hossain, who returned to the side after 15 months and scored 14 off 15 balls in the previous match, could make way for Soumya Sarkar. Soumya may open alongside Saif Hassan or slot into the middle order.

The pace attack could also see adjustments, with Taskin Ahmed likely to be rested and left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam in line for a return to the playing XI.