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Bangladesh and Pakistan are set to renew their T20 rivalry with a three-match series starting Sunday in Mirpur.
After the last meeting, both sides have seen changes. Bangladesh now has their new captain in Litton Das, while Agha Salman is the captain of Pakistan.
For Bangladesh, this is more than just another bilateral contest. It marks the return of high-profile cricket on home soil against a top Asian rival.
Litton accepted the fact the series will be tough for them, but also sounded optimistic.
He pointed to the benefits of franchise cricket, where both sets of players have shared dressing rooms, particularly in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL).
"They know our strengths and weaknesses, and we know theirs," said Litton. “It makes for a level playing field.”
Pakistan’s preparations have drawn heavily from BPL experience. Nine players in their current squad have played in the league, and head coach Sean McDermott, a former Bangladesh fielding coach, brings local insight.
“We’ve spoken to those who’ve played here and built plans around their inputs,” said Pakistan captain Agha Salman.
The pitch in Mirpur, notorious for its unpredictability and spin-friendly nature, has been a talking point. Litton acknowledged that the surface had made life difficult for batters in previous years, especially during the 2021 series against Australia and New Zealand.
“Many of us struggled back then, but it’s different now. It’s still challenging, but runs are possible,” he said.
Pakistan, meanwhile, will field a revamped T20 lineup, continuing their post-Babar-Rizwan experiment. Agha Salman confirmed the team’s intent to play aggressive cricket but said they would adapt if conditions demanded restraint.
“If the pitch supports it, we’ll go hard. If not, we’ll reassess. The goal is to score 10-15 more than par,” he said.
All three matches will be played at the same venue, with weather expected to stay dry after several days of rain earlier in the week.