4.5 overs (0 Run) Make that 5! Slower and around off, Fakhar guides it to point.
4.4 overs (0 Run) Slower through the air on off, FZ pushes it to covers. 4 dots in a row.
4.3 overs (0 Run) On the stumps again, Zaman defends it out.
4.2 overs (0 Run) This time it is the arm ball and it drifts in from outside off, Zaman plays outside the line and the ball goes off the inside edge onto the pads.
4.1 overs (0 Run) Slower through the air on off, Zaman pushes it to covers.
3.6 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Full and down the leg side, Imam turns it through fine leg and gets a boundary!
3.5 overs (0 Run) Excellent fielding again. Outside off, Imam punches it towards backward point and sets off for a single. Mosaddek Hossain stretches to his right and half-stops it with his hand. Then, quickly picks the ball up and has a shy at the bowler's end. Misses but Zaman is well in.
3.4 overs (1 Run) A full toss, around off, worked through mid on for a single.
3.3 overs (0 Run) Outside off, punched towards cover.
3.2 overs (1 Run) DIRECT HIT WOULD HAVE HAD IMAM. Things are happening... Full and outside off, Imam punches it towards cover and sets off for a single. The fielder gets to the ball, picks it up and has a rocket throw at the bowler's end. Misses. Imam's dive would not have saved him.
3.1 overs (0 Run) Around off, solidly defended.
2.6 overs (0 Run) MIX-UP, RUN OUT CHANCE, SAFE! Communication breakdown. Full and around off, FZ drives it towards mid off and sets off on a merry morning jog. But Imam is ball-watching and sends Zaman back. Fakhar has to do a U-turn and luckily for him, the fielder just about takes a wee bit of extra time to throw. Makes it in, does the southpaw.
2.5 overs (0 Run) Around off, pushed back to the bowler.
2.4 overs (2 Runs) TOP EDGE, SAFE! First signs of desperation from Pakistan. Tossed up on middle and off, Zaman comes down the track and looks to go big but is not to the pitch of the ball. Goes through with his attempted lofted-over-mid off shot but gets a massive top edge. Short extra cover runs back while long off runs across but the ball lands in between! Two runs taken.
2.3 overs (0 Run) Full and around off, watchfully pushed back to the bowler.
2.2 overs (1 Run) Full and straight, worked through mid-wicket for a single.
2.1 overs (0 Run) Landed outside off, played straight to point.
1.6 overs (2 Runs) Down the leg side once again, turned past short fine leg for a couple.
1.5 overs (0 Run) Around middle and leg, watchfully defended.
1.4 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Finds the gap! Short and outside off, Fakhar crunches this though the covers!
Interesting choice to give Saifuddin the new ball. One of the reasons why Bangladesh have been struggling in this tournament is that their fast bowlers or say, new-ball bowlers have not struck. Saifuddin has bowled the most yorkers in this tournament. Can he help Bangladesh to do well today?
1.3 overs (0 Run) Around middle and leg, pushed towards short mid-wicket.
1.2 overs (0 Run) Pitched outside leg, nipping down as well, Zaman misses his flick and is hit on the pads. Saifuddin appeals for LBW but no one else including the umpire is interested.
1.1 overs (0 Run) Full and around leg, pushed down towards mid on.
Mohammad Saifuddin to bowl with the second new ball.
0.6 over (0 Run) Good stop by Mahmudullah at short fine leg. He is coming off an injury to his calf, so that is a good way to test it. Full and down the leg side, Imam gets across and whips it through fine leg. The former captain dives to his left and makes a fine tumbling stop. A quiet over to start off mission 500.
0.5 over (1 Run) Tossed up, around leg and middle, Fakhar stays leg side of the ball, comes forward and drives it towards long off for a single.
0.4 over (0 Run) Similar ball, no room whatsoever, another cautious defense.
0.3 over (0 Run) Full and around leg and middle, Fakhar lunges with a defense.
0.2 over (0 Run) Down the leg side, turned towards short fine leg.
0.1 over (0 Run) Full and around leg stump, pushed back defensively.
The anthems are done and dusted and the Bangladesh team gets into a huddle. Out come the Pakistan openers - Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq. It will be spin to start off proceedings. Mehedi Hasan it will be. Zaman to face. Here we go!
Time for the national anthems. Bangladesh's first.
Bangladesh (Playing XI) - Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim(wk), Mahmudullah (IN FOR SABBIR RAHMAN), Liton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan (IN FOR RUBEL HOSSAIN), Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Mustafizur Rahman.
Pakistan (UNCHANGED Playing XI) - Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Sarfaraz Ahmed(c and wk), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi.
Bangladesh captain, Mashrafe Mortaza, says that he too, would have loved to bat first as the wicket looks a used one. Now, he says that he is looking forward to bowl well and restrict Pakistan to a chaseable total. On the team changes, Mashrafe informs that Mahmudullah is fit and replaces Sabbir Rahman. Adds that Mehedi Hasan comes back in for Rubel Hossain. On Bangladesh's 4-0 record against Pakistan of late in ODIs, Mortaza says that is a nice record and hopes to do well today too. On Bangladesh never having won 4 games in a World Cup edition, Mortaza hopes that it happens today. On this being his last World Cup, Mash hopes to sign off in style.
Pakistan skipper, Sarfraz Ahmed, says that batting first is their only chance and he would now hope his team gets a big score on the board. On the team changes, Ahmed says that the target is to score a huge amount of runs but they are going in with the same team. On their loss to West Indies in the tournament opener, Sarfaraz admits that every match in such a tournament is huge but they are looking to put that beyond them and win today.
TOSS - Time for the most important aspect of the game. The toss. Sarfaraz Ahmed spins the coin, Tails is the call from Mashrafe Mortaza, but Heads it is! Pakistan elect to BAT FIRST. Well at least, they have 1 percent chance to qualify now.
PITCH REPORT - Ramiz Raja says that the pitch is tailor-made for Pakistan. There is a lot of greenery he adds, which should provide a bit of pace. Feels the conditions are good for batting.
WEATHER - It is a pleasant atmosphere in London and there are no chances of rain.
4.6 overs (1 Run) A single to end another tidy over for Zaman! This is flatter and on middle, Zaman looks to push at it but once again does so outside the line. It goes off the inner half through the leg side for one.