Pakistan set to field four debutants during first ODI against Bangladesh

It is the first time a Pakistan ODI side features as many debutants since 2008, and just the second time since 1980. The decision, which was made earlier today, the eve of the game, follows on from coach Mike Hesson’s promise that Pakistan’s young talent had “earned the right” to be involved with the senior group, particularly players that had done well with the Shaheens.

“It is an exciting group,” Hesson had said on Monday. “We have got some fresh faces that have done well in the Shaheens. They have earned the right to get some opportunities at the next level. We are excited as a group to involve them. I think our challenge over here is adapting to the pitch quickly. Regardless of what’s thrown at us, we have got to make sure we have got a team ready to challenge Bangladesh in their own conditions.”

The six uncapped players in Pakistan’s squad came at the expense of a number of established senior players omitted from the ODI side after the PCB’s disappointment at Pakistan’s performance in the T20 World Cup, where they were knocked out in the Super Eight stage. Prime among them was Babar Azam, while Saim Ayub, Mohammad Nawaz and Naseem Shah also made way.

Farhan, 30, has not played a List A match since 2024, but his standout T20 performances , according to Hesson, have “forced his case”. He has been Pakistan’s best T20I opener over the past six months, and finished the recently concluded World Cup with 383 runs, the highest ever at a single T20 World Cup.

Opener Shamyl, 21, is set to partner Farhan at the top of the order. He has been earmarked as one of Pakistan’s standout young cross-format talents. He was part of the Islamabad side in the most recent season of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, finishing as the second-highest scorer in the tournament. He has also built up a stellar, albeit brief, List A career, averaging over 46 in 13 games, with his runs coming at over a run a ball.

Middle order batter Abdul Samad, 28, who makes his ODI debut tomorrow, is primarily rated in Pakistan as an explosive T20 batter, but the Pakistan management is understood to have faith in his ability to translate that into ODI success. He averages over 35 and has a pair of List A hundreds, and was the Shaheens’ top scorer in the only List A game they played against England A before the US-Israeli strikes on Iran precipitated the closure of Middle Eastern airspace, leading to the tour’s cancellation.

Maaz Sadaqat is the youngest of the four debutants. The 20-year old initially built his reputation at T20 level and turned out for Peshawar Zalmi at last year’s PSL. But his List A numbers are steadily ticking upwards. He has three hundreds and two half-centuries in his last 12 50-over games, and has begun transferring his ability for quick scoring from T20 cricket into the longer format. He bowls slow left-arm orthodox spin to boot, and with Pakistan contentiously selecting no specialist bowler of that type on what are expected to be slow, soft surfaces in Dhaka, that skillset is likely to be called upon.

The series is Pakistan’s last international engagement before the PSL, which begins on 26 March. They will play three ODIs, all in Dhaka, on March 11, 13, and 15.

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