Mohammad Rizwan is not looking all that confident as he has been hit on his left thumb and is down in some pain. The team physio comes out in the middle and goes through the process of having a look at what is troubling Rizwan. The magic spray has been applied, and everything looks good to continue as Mohammad Rizwan puts his gloves on again.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Good length, around off, Shadman Islam leaves it. Rizwan gets an awkward bounce and fails to gather this as it deflects off his left palm. The ball is well left outside off and it once again drops in front of the keeper. Mohammad Rizwan should come a few steps closer and with him the slip cordon as well.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Full and on off, Shadman Islam prods onto his front foot and blocks this out.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Hard length, on middle and off, Shadman Islam rocks onto his back foot and keeps it out.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, On a length, around the pads, Shadman Islam gets inside the line and looks for a flick but gets it brushed off the pads to the right of Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Good length, wide of off, shaping into the batter. Shadman Islam covers his off stump and leaves it confidently.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Short and a lot wide outside off. Shadman Islam leaves it.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Full and around off, shaping away from the batter. Mahmudul Hasan Joy takes a half-step towards the pitch of the ball and has a flash at it but gets beaten on his outside edge.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, On a length, around off, Mahmudul Hasan Joy pushes this to silly mid on for no run.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, FOUR! Joy plays this with soft hands and gets rewarded. Hard length, around off, shaping away from the batter. Mahmudul Hasan Joy stands tall and opens his bat face slightly to guide this through the gully region for a boundary.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Pitched up, around middle and off, going away with the angle. Mahmudul Hasan Joy gets right behind the line of this and drives this way too straight. The ball goes past the bowler to his left and thumps into the stumps on the other end.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Full and wide of off, Mahmudul Hasan Joy leaves this all alone.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, DROPPED! Good length, around off, shaping away from the batter. Mahmudul Hasan Joy doesn't move his feet much and has a poke at it. Gets an outside edge that goes around a comfortable waist height to the slip cordon. Salman Agha moves to his left from second slip and unsights Abdullah Fazal at first slip who ends up dropping it.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Hard length, around off, Shadman Islam neither comes onto his front foot nor goes back and ends up poking at it away from his body. Islam gets beaten.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Abbas comes around the stumps, bowls it around that nagging length, around off. Shadman Islam rocks back and looks to block this one but gets beaten on his outside edge as the ball shapes away.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Hard length, on middle and off, Shadman Islam keeps it out with a block.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Good length, on middle and leg, Shadman Islam tucks this to mid-wicket.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, FOUR! GLORIOUS FROM SHADMAN! Pitched-up delivery, around the fifth stump line at 124.5 kph. Shadman Islam strides close to the pitch of the ball and drives this all along the ground for a boundary through the covers region.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Right in the channel, around off, Shadman Islam gets close to the pitch of the ball and leaves it.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, A maiden by Shaheen. Yorker, around middle and off, Joy pushes this back to the bowler.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Full and down the leg, Mahmudul Hasan Joy gets inside the line of it and looks for the flick but misses out.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, On a length, around middle and off, Mahmudul Hasan Joy pushes this to point for a dot.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Fuller, around off, shaping slightly back into the batter. Mahmudul Hasan Joy looks for the off-drive but gets beaten on the inside edge.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Good length, around off, shaping away from the batter. Mahmudul Hasan Joy drops this in front of point and looks for a quick one but his partner sends him back.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Back of a length, around off, Mahmudul Hasan Joy dabs this towards gully for no run.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Hard length, wide of off, going across the batter. Shadman Islam tentatively pokes at it but gets beatean.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Short-pitched delivery, on middle and leg, Shadman Islam gets up on his toes and hits this through the square leg region for a couple to open his account.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Good length, wide of off, Shadman Islam leaves it all alone once again.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Beauty by Abbas. Around that nagging length, on off, going with the angle. Shadman Islam looks to block this off his back foot but gets beaten on his outside edge.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, On a length, around off, Shadman Islam doesn't offer any stroke at it. The ball goes to Rizwan behind the stumps on a bounce.
Mohammad Abbas to Shadman Islam, Abbas bowls it on a length, and wide of off, shaping away from the southpaw. Shadman Islam gets close to the pitch of the ball and leaves it.
Mohammad Abbas to bowl from the other end.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Excellent end to the over by Shaheen as he bowls one swinging back into the batter, on a length, around off. Mahmudul Hasan Joy pushes this from the inner half of his bat to mid on.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Back of a length, around off, shaping away from the batter, Mahmudul Hasan Joy leaves it all alone.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, A tad fuller, around off, nipping away from the batter. Mahmudul Hasan Joy prods onto his front foot and has a go at it. The ball beats the outside edge of Mahmudul Hasan Joy as the keeper gathers this.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, On a length, wide outside off, Mahmudul Hasan Joy shoulders his arms at it.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, FOUR LEG BYES! Another one where Shaheen bowls it down the leg, Mahmudul Hasan Joy doesn't connect with the flick and gets it clipped off his pads through the fine leg region for four leg byes.
Shaheen Afridi to Mahmudul Hasan Joy, FOUR! We are underway in Dhaka with a boundary. Shaheen Afridi errs in line as he bowls a bit too straight and onto the pads, Mahmudul Hasan Joy gets inside the line and flicks this through the square leg region for a boundary to get everyone going.
We are all set for the play to begin. The two umpires have already taken their positions just after the national anthems. The players of Pakistan have scattered and Shaheen Afridi is walking towards his bowling mark with the red cherry in his hands. For Bangladesh, it's Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shadman Islam to open the innings. Hassan Joy to take the strike. Away we go...
We are moments away from the start of the game, but before that, the players from both sides make their way out to the middle and line up for the respective national anthems. It will be the away team, Pakistan's first, followed by that of Bangladesh.
A green deck - Athar Ali Khan provides the pitch report, highlighting that this ground has recently been a productive venue for the hosts, who have secured three wins in their last five Tests here. He observes that while there is visible grass on a good length to hold the surface together, the track appears to be one where batters can find their rhythm and score freely once they are well-set at the crease. Noting the morning conditions, he anticipates that the first hour will be key for the bowlers to exploit any early moisture or assistance provided by that live grass.
Skipper of Bangladesh - Najmul Hossain Shanto reckons the pitch looks good, like the ones they've had in recent ODIs. Najmul adds that he's happy with the seamers, especially with Taskin's back and with Nahid Rana doing well. Shanto concludes, saying this series is important, playing at home, and the team is excited to do something special.
Skipper of Pakistan - Shan Masood reckons that the Mirpur conditions align with their expectations and justify their versatile squad selection. Shan presses on the need for a strong start to build momentum for the series, opting to focus on a daily progression rather than looking too far ahead. Masood informs that they have two highly anticipated debutants, opener Azan Awais, who has been a consistent domestic performer who has transitioned from the Under-19 ranks, and Abdullah Fazal, who earns his spot following a standout Player of the Match performance in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Shan also expresses disappointment over the absence of star batter Babar Azam, who misses out due to a late injury risk.
Bangladesh (Playing XI) - Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (WK), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Ebadot Hossain.
Pakistan (Playing XI) - Azan Awais (On debut), Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Fazal (On debut), Shan Masood (C), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Noman Ali, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas.
TOSS - Pakistan have won the coin flip and they will be BOWLING first.