Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI Series 2026 Preview and Squads
The Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI series is set to begin tomorrow, March 11, 2026, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka . This three-match series marks Pakistan’s first ODI tour of Bangladesh in 11 years, with the teams last playing a 50-over series in Bangladesh back in 2015 .
Pakistan’s squad, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, arrived in Dhaka on Sunday, March 8, while head coach Mike Hesson and support staff had reached a day earlier . The team will have a practice session on March 10 before the opening ODI .
Pakistan vs Bangladesh : Series Schedule at a Glance
Match Date Venue Time
- 1st ODI March 11, 2026 Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka Day-Night
- 2nd ODI March 13, 2026 Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka Day-Night
- 3rd ODI March 15, 2026 Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka Day-Night
All matches will be played at the same venue in Mirpur, with rest and practice days scheduled on March 10, 12, and 14 . The Pakistan team is set to depart on March 16 following the conclusion of the series .
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Pakistan Squad: A New Era Begins
The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a significantly revamped 15-member ODI squad, featuring six uncapped players . This selection marks a clear shift in strategy as Pakistan begins preparations for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Pakistan’s 15-Member ODI Squad
Player Role Notes
- Shaheen Shah Afridi Captain / Fast Bowler Continuing as ODI captain
- Abdul Samad Batter Uncapped
- Abrar Ahmed Mystery Spinner Key spin option
- Faheem Ashraf All-rounder Returns to ODI setup
- Faisal Akram Left-arm Spinner Young spin talent
- Haris Rauf Fast Bowler Pace spearhead
- Hussain Talat All-rounder Recalled after performances
- Maaz Sadaqat Batter Uncapped
- Mohammad Rizwan Wicketkeeper Batter Senior player
- Mohammad Wasim Jnr Fast Bowler Pace bowling all-rounder
- Muhammad Ghazi Ghori Wicketkeeper Batter Uncapped
- Saad Masood All-rounder Uncapped
- Sahibzada Farhan Batter Uncapped, T20 World Cup hero
- Salman Ali Agha All-rounder Experienced middle-order option
- Shamyl Hussain Batter Uncapped
Notable Exclusions
Several senior players have been omitted from the squad, including:
- Babar Azam – Former captain dropped from ODI setup
- Fakhar Zaman – Ruled out due to hamstring injury
- Saim Ayub – Young opener omitted
- Mohammad Nawaz – Left-arm spinning all-rounder not included
- Naseem Shah – Pace bowler rested
- Haseebullah – Wicketkeeper batter not selected
Bangladesh Squad: Mehidy Hasan Miraz Leads
Bangladesh have named their squad under the captaincy of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who will lead the side in this important home series .
Bangladesh’s 15-Member ODI Squad
Player Role
- Mehidy Hasan Miraz Captain / All-rounder
- Soumya Sarkar Batter
- Saif Hassan Batter
- Tanzid Hasan Batter
- Najmul Hossain Shanto Batter
- Towhid Hridoy Batter
- Litton Kumer Das Wicketkeeper Batter
- Afif Hossain All-rounder
- Mahidul Islam Ankon Wicketkeeper Batter
- Rishad Hossain Bowler
- Tanvir Islam Bowler
- Mustafizur Rahman Fast Bowler
- Taskin Ahmed Fast Bowler
- Shoriful Islam Fast Bowler
- Nahid Rana Fast Bowler
Match Officials Announced
The match officials for the Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI series have been confirmed, featuring a mix of international and local umpires .
Role Official
Match Referee Naeem Rashid
On-field Umpires Kumar Dharmasena, Adrian Holdstock, Ghazi Sohel, Tanvir Ahmed, Masudur Rahman
Historical Context
This series carries significant historical weight. Pakistan’s last ODI series in Bangladesh was in 2015, when the hosts secured a clinical 3-0 sweep of the visitors . Since then, Pakistan has dominated head-to-head encounters, winning 34 of 39 ODIs between the teams .
Last year, Pakistan’s tour of Bangladesh featured only T20Is, while the 2021 series included just T20Is and Tests . Originally planned as a multi-format tour, Pakistan’s Super League commitments have reduced this visit to ODIs, with two Tests rescheduled for May 2026 .
Recent Form: T20I Series Recap
The two sides recently faced each other in a three-match T20I series in Bangladesh during February-March 2026, which Bangladesh won 2-1 .
T20I Series Results
1st T20I (Feb 21): Bangladesh won by 7 wickets – Taskin Ahmed (3/22) and Mustafizur Rahman (2/6) bowled Pakistan out for 110 before Parvez Hossain’s unbeaten 50 sealed victory
2nd T20I (March 3): Bangladesh won by 8 runs in a thriller – Jaker Ali’s fifty lifted Bangladesh to 133, and Shoriful Islam’s three-wicket haul defended the total despite Faheem Ashraf’s valiant 51
3rd T20I (March 5): Pakistan won by 74 runs – Sahibzada Farhan’s 63-ball 63 and career-best 3/19 from Salman Mirza secured a consolation victory for the visitors
Looking Ahead: Test Series in May
Beyond the ODIs, Pakistan and Bangladesh are scheduled to meet again in May 2026 for a two-match Test series, part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle .
Test Series Schedule:
- 1st Test: May 8-12, 2026 – Dhaka
- 2nd Test: May 16-20, 2026 – Chattogram
Analysis by Best Pak Mag
The Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI series represents a significant moment for both teams, but for different reasons. Pakistan arrive in Dhaka with a squad that looks almost unrecognizable from the team that competed in the T20 World Cup just weeks ago. The decision to drop Babar Azam and blood six uncapped players signals a clear shift in philosophy—the PCB is looking toward the 2027 World Cup, and they’re willing to endure short-term pain for long-term gain .
Sahibzada Farhan’s inclusion is particularly noteworthy. After finishing as the leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cup with 383 runs at an average of 76.60, he thoroughly deserves his maiden ODI call-up . His ability to provide explosive starts will be crucial on Mirpur surfaces that can sometimes be tricky for new batters.
For Bangladesh, this series offers an opportunity to build on their historic T20I series victory. The 2-1 win over Pakistan in the shortest format was their first-ever T20I series triumph against the Men in Green . Now, under Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s captaincy, they’ll look to replicate that success in the 50-over format.
The absence of Mustafizur Rahman from the T20 World Cup due to political tensions cast a shadow over Bangladesh’s campaign, but his inclusion in the ODI squad suggests a return to normalcy . Alongside Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, Bangladesh possess a pace attack capable of troubling any batting lineup on home conditions.
The historical context adds intrigue. Bangladesh’s 3-0 sweep of Pakistan in 2015 remains their last ODI series win over the visitors, and they’ll be eager to repeat that performance . Pakistan, with 34 wins in 39 meetings since then, will be confident of maintaining their dominance .
With a young, hungry Pakistan side facing a confident Bangladesh team on home soil, this series promises to be far more competitive than recent history suggests. The first ball on March 11 will reveal which team adapts better to the occasion.
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