Mustafizur Rahman
Mustafizur Rahman has been ruled out of the Asia Cup due to a side strain Getty

Bangladesh host Pakistan in the eighth match of the 2016 Asia Cup T20 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday, 2 March.

Where to watch

Match starts at 1.30pm GMT. There is no live coverage of the match in the UK. In India, Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 3 will telecast the match live.

Overview

The match will see hosts Bangladesh take on an unpredictable Pakistan in what is an important encounter for both sides. The hosts, who have four points on board, showed just how much they have improved in the shorter format of the game, beating Sri Lanka by 23 runs in Mirpur on 28 February. Sabbir Rahman was the star for the Tigers, scoring a 54-ball 80, a performance all the more remarkable as no other player crossed 40.

The bowling has looked good but the unavailability of key fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who has been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury, is a big blow to the hosts, as they have come to rely on the 20-year-old to bowl at important stages of the game. Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal has been named as the replacement, with the Ieft hander returning after missing the first two games due to paternity leave.

Pakistan secured their first win of the tournament beating the United Arab Emirates by eight wickets on 29 February. In what was their 100th T20 international, the first team to play this many games, they needed a record 114-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal to take them home after their top order failed to fire once again.

Their bowling, though, is the strongest in the tournament, with Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Irfan and Wahab Riaz capable of blowing away any opposition on their day. Riaz is expected to slot back into the XI after making way for Mohammad Nawaz in their last game.

Prediction

Pakistan to win

Betting odds (888sport)

  • Bangladesh to win: 13/10
  • Pakistan to win:8/13

Team news

Bangladesh

Possible XI: Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Taskin Ahmed, Al-Amin Hossain, Soumya Sarkar

Pakistan

Possible XI: Mohammad Hafeez, Sharjeel Khan, Khurram Manzoor, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Shahid Afridi (C), Wahab Riaz ,Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan

Pakistan cricket