Rawalpindi [Pakistan], February 27: Hosts Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in their final match of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday. While neither side has any chance of progressing to the semi-finals, both teams have plenty to prove in what promises to be a crucial match for their respective campaigns.
For Pakistan, the focus will be on finishing their tournament on a positive note, especially in front of their home crowd. After two consecutive losses to New Zealand and India, Pakistan has no chance of defending their 2017 Champions Trophy title. Captain Mohammad Rizwan has admitted to the team’s mistakes and will aim to end the tournament with a victory.
On the other hand, Bangladesh will be looking to prove they belong at this level of competition after struggling with inconsistent batting in their earlier matches. Having lost both of their previous Champions Trophy encounters, the Tigers will want to avoid finishing at the bottom of Group A.
Recent Form:
- Pakistan: After a tough start to their campaign, Pakistan faces an uphill battle to finish the tournament on a high. Their first match against New Zealand ended in a 60-run defeat, and they were then defeated by India by six wickets. Rizwan has acknowledged mistakes in their previous matches, which the team will be eager to correct.
- Bangladesh: Bangladesh has also had a tough run, failing to win any of their last few ODI encounters, including a series loss to the West Indies. The team’s batting inconsistency has been a major issue, and they will aim to address it against Pakistan in this final group-stage match.
Players in Focus:
- Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan has the responsibility to lead both as captain and as a batsman. While he fought hard for 46 runs against India, the team collapsed after his dismissal. Rizwan will need to step up with the bat if Pakistan hopes to finish their campaign with a win.
- Bangladesh: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who plays a key role with both bat and ball, will be one to watch. Despite being Bangladesh’s top-ranked ODI bowler, Miraz has not yet found his rhythm in this tournament, contributing just 18 runs from two innings and going wicketless from 20 overs.
Squads:
- Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
- Bangladesh: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, MD Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.