Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in Match 31 of the ICC Cricket World Cup, 2023 on October 31 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India. The match commences at 02:00 PM IST. Pakistan heads into the upcoming match following a sequence of four consecutive losses in the tournament. The team, under the captaincy of Babar Azam, is now perilously close to being eliminated from the competition. After a hard-fought one-wicket loss to South Africa in their recent match, the Pakistan team finds themselves in the sixth position in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 league standings, having earned four points from six matches. In the upcoming encounter, they face a must-win scenario as they take on a struggling Bangladesh side.
Bangladesh enters the contest on the back of their 87-run loss to the Netherlands. The Bangla Tigers, with only one victory in their six matches so far, currently find themselves in the ninth position in the standings, having accumulated two points from these six games.
PAK vs BAN pitch report
The pitch at the Eden Gardens is a batting-friendly track. However, as the match progresses the surface gets slow making strokeplay difficult. In the recent match played here, the Netherlands opted to bat first and posted a total of 229 and then bowled out Bangladesh for 142. The average score by the team batting first in the last 10 matches at the venue is 289.
Batting first should be the preferred option at this stadium, with the team batting first winning 80 per cent of its contests.
Pace or Spin?
The venue is suited for spinners. Pack your fantasy team with batsmen who can spin the ball.
PAK vs BAN weather report
The temperature at the Eden Gardens is expected to be 30 degrees with 40% humidity.
PAK vs BAN Fantasy Prediction: Top captain and vice-captain picks
Mohammad Rizwan: Pakistan batter Mohammad Rizwan has scored 333 runs in 6 matches at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at an average of 66.6 and a strike rate of 97.37. He has smashed a century and a half-century with a highest score of 131 not out.
Mahmudullah: Bangladesh's Mahmudullah has scored 218 runs in 5 matches and is the team's number-one run-scorer this edition. He has a strike rate of 91.98 and averages 72.67. He has scored one century so far in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
Shaheen Afridi: The Pakistan bowler has picked up 13 wickets in 6 matches. Shaheen Afridi's best spell in the tournament is 5/54 and he averages 22.76.
Shoriful Islam: The Bangladesh bowler has taken 8 wickets in 6 matches so far at an average of 41.62. Shoriful Islam's 3/75 is his finest bowling performance at the ICC Cricket World Cup, 2023.
PAK vs BAN squads
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Das (wk), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Taskin Ahmed
PAK vs BAN Fantasy team
Wicket-Keeper: Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim
Batters: Babar, Azam. Abdullah Shafique, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Saud Shakeel
All-Rounders: Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Iftikhar Ahmed
Bowlers: Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shoriful Islam, Usama Mir
Captain: Mohammad Rizwan
Vice-Captain: Shaheen Afridi
Pakistan vs Bangladesh head-to-head record in ODIs
Pakistan and Bangladesh have battled against each other on 38 occasions in ODIs. While Pakistan have won 33 matches, Bangladesh have emerged victorious on 5 instances.
The last 5 ODI matches have seen Pakistan win 2 times and Bangladesh on 3 instances. The highest score in these 5 encounters is 315 by Pakistan while the lowest has been 193 by Bangladesh.
The team batting first has won 21 times and lost 2 times in 23 matches, meanwhile, the chasing side has won on 12 occasions and lost 3 times in 15 matches.
Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI records
Highest score: Pakistan's total of 385/7 at Dambulla in 2010 is their highest score against Bangladesh in ODI cricket.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh's 329/6 at Mirpur in 2015 is their highest score against Pakistan in ODI cricket.
Lowest score: Pakistan's 161 at Northampton in 1999 is their lowest score in ODIs against the Bangla Tigers.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh's 87 at Dhaka in 2000 is their lowest total in ODI cricket against the Men in Green.
Average score: Pakistan's average score in Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI matches is 219, while Bangladesh averages 205 runs.
Pakistan vs Bangladesh World Cup 2023 prediction
Both sides have faced challenges in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup. While Pakistan have witnessed matches slipping away from winning positions, Bangladesh have struggled and faced defeats without putting up much resistance.
Looking at their recent encounters, Bangladesh have emerged victorious in three out of the last five matches against Pakistan. However, considering the current form, Pakistan hold a slight advantage as they head into Tuesday's battle.