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Pakistan cricket team will feature four debutants in the opening match of the three-game ODI series against Bangladesh in Mirpur on Wednesday.


Published date india.com
Updated: March 11, 2026 11:55 AM IST

Mustafizur Rahman
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman at a training session in Mirpur ahead of 1st ODI vs Pakistan on Wednesday. (Source: X)
Bangladesh vs Pakistan 2026 1st ODI Playing 11: A new-look Pakistan cricket team will begin a three-match ODI series against hosts Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday. The Pakistan cricket team were fined Rs 50 lakh PKR by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after their poor showing in the T20 World Cup 2026 where they failed to reach the semifinals.

The PCB have taken some big decisions which include dropping former captain Babar Azam from the ODI squad as well. The first ODI against Bangladesh on Wednesday is set feature four debutant for Pakistan including in-form Sahibzada Farhan, the leading run-scorer in the T20 World Cup 2026 with 383 runs including two centuries.

Apart from Farhan, Pakistan Shaheen star batter Maaz Sadaqat is set to make his ODI debut too along with Shamyl Hussain and Abdul Samad. It will be first time that Pakistan cricket team will feature so many debutants since 2008 and only the second time since 1980.

“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,” Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said before the 1st ODI.

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The Pakistan team will also see the return of former captain Mohammad Rizwan, who was sidelined for the T20 World Cup 2026 while Shaheen Afridi has been handed the captaincy reigns again ahead of Salman Ali Agha.

For Bangladesh, Mustafizur Rahman will be back in action after being in the middle of the storm over the T20 World Cup 2026 boycott. Mustafizur was dropped by Kolkata Knight Riders on instructions from BCCI for the upcoming IPL 2026 season. It led to Bangladesh cricket team boycotting the whole tournament.

Litton Das will also return to the ODI set up but he will be batting down the order at No. 5 position and also take up the gloves behind the wicket. All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz has been appointed the captain of the Bangladesh team for the ODI series.

Bangladesh vs Pakistan 2026 1st ODI Predicted 11

Bangladesh: Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar, Towhid Hridoy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das (wk), Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (c), Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Shamyl Hussain, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Hussain Talat, Abdul Samad, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Mohammad Wasim, Faisal Akram








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