World Cup 2019: Pakistan vs Bangladesh match preview
Pakistan need a massive win over Bangladesh to keep their semi-final hopes alive
July 05, 2019
LONDON: With just a tiny hope of making it to the next remaining, Pakistan take on Bangladesh in their last group game of the World Cup at Lord's today.
A last-ditch attempt to make it to the final four, Pakistan will try to do the impossible when they face the Tigers at the home of cricket.
Sitting on the fifth spot on the points table, Pakistan have nine points and a net run rate (NRR) of -0.792. For Pakistan to reach the top-four, they need to displace New Zealand who are currently on the fourth spot with 11 points and a positive net run rate of +0.175 and defeat Bangladesh by a massive margin of 316 runs after winning the toss and batting first.
On the off chance that they score 308 runs and dismiss Bangladesh for 0, they will find themselves in the final four.
If Pakistan scores 350 and win by 312 runs or if they score 400 and win by 316 runs, they qualify for the semi-finals. In case if they score under 308, they won't be able to qualify.
Pakistan can't qualify for the semi-finals in the case they bat second as they would need to upgrade the objective run rate in under zero deliveries which is mathematically impossible.
On the other hand, Bangladesh who sit on the seventh are out of the tournament with just pride left to play for.
For Pakistan Babar Azam will me the man the team will be looking towards after his performance in the World Cup. The 24-year-old is the leading run-scorer for Pakistan with 378 runs in seven innings.
In the bowling department, Mohammad Amir has been the standout bowler for Pakistan, picking up 16 wickets from seven innings.
The Tigers have also made a mark in this World Cup by beating South Africa, West Indies and Afghanistan.
All-rounder Shakib-Al Hasan has been the standout performer and the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament scoring 542 runs in seven innings.
His highest score in the tournament so far is 124 not out with the third-best average of 90.33. Not only has he has been scoring runs left and right, he is also the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh with 11 wickets in seven innings.
The two teams have a very one-sided history in the ODI cricket. Pakistan and Bangladesh have played 36 matches since 1986 to 2018, out of which Pakistan have won 31 and lost just five.
The only times the two teams have faced each other in the mega tournament is during the 1999 edition of the World Cup, where the Tigers after posting 223-9, bowled Pakistan out for 161.
The match between Pakistan and Bangladesh will start at 2:30pm Pakistan Standard Time.
Weather conditions in London
According to the forecast, the weather is expected to be partly cloudy, with very few chances of rain.
Pakistan-Bangladesh ODI stats
Head to head matches: 36
Pakistan won: 31
Bangladesh won: 5
Highest total: 385/7 (50 overs) by Pakistan in 2010
Lowest total: 87/10 (34.2 overs) by Bangladesh in 2000
Most runs: 893 runs in 16 innings by Muhammad Yousuf (Pakistan)
Most wickets: 32 wickets in 21 innings by Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
Squads
Pakistan: Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Haris Sohail, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain
Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah Riyad, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed
