Pakistan's Squad Revamp Continues, These 3 Players To Be Handed Debut In 1st ODI vs Bangladesh
Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi has confirmed that three players will make their debut in the 50-over format when the team faces Bangladesh in the first ODI match of the three-match series to be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi has confirmed that three players will make their debut in the 50-over format when the team faces Bangladesh in the first ODI match of the three-match series to be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday. According to the skipper, Sahibzada Farhan, who was in excellent form during the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026 and scored a record 383 runs in just seven matches along with Maaz Sadaqat and Shamyl Hussain, will play their first match for the team in ODIs.
“There will be like three debuts, of course. Sahibzada is the top performer in T20s and also in List ‘A' cricket for Pakistan. Maaz Sadaqat will open, and Shamyl Hussain will play at one down. These three will make their debut. Hopefully, they will play their own game and show their skills,” Afridi said in the pre-match press conference as quoted by The Daily Star.
“We are excited to see them play for Pakistan, not just for one series but with the future in mind. They have experience playing here. They have played the Bangladesh league here. Sahibzada and Maaz have played here, and a few others were also involved last year. They are familiar with the grounds and conditions, and I hope they will play their best cricket,” he added.
Pakistan are in good form in the ODI format. The team has secured victories over South Africa and Sri Lanka at home in the last two series while Bangladesh have also defeated West Indies in the last ODI series.
Speaking about the recent form, Shaheen said that they expect a tough contest between both sides as they prepare for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2027 to be played in South Africa.
“Any team is strong at home. Bangladesh are a good side, and they played well against the West Indies. But we are also ready. We performed well in the last two ODI series against South Africa and Sri Lanka, and we want to continue that,” he said.
Pakistan have made a big change in their squad for the series. They have dropped Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub from the team.
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Shaheen Afridi
Pakistan Cricket Team
Bangladesh Cricket Team