The T20 World Cup is getting ever closer and as preparations continue for it Bangladesh and Pakistan open up a tri-series with New Zealand in the early hours of Friday morning UK time when the two sides face off in Christchurch.
Both teams are guaranteed four outings over the next week or so and will be eager to make the final and get a fifth game but rather than wins the overriding aim of both will be to fine tune their plans for the main event.
Bangladesh
This is a big month or so for Bangladesh in the 20 over format. They have not been in good form since the last World Cup where there was a strong feeling that their performance there was purely down to favourable conditions. With the next T20 World Cup not until 2024 there are some big guns for Bangladesh who might decide to call T20 internationals a day after the upcoming tournament and they won’t want to limp meekly into the sunset.
Bangladesh did pick up some confidence in a couple of T20 wins over UAE towards the end of last month but this sees both a step up in class of opposition and a complete difference of conditions, however the conditions at Hagley Oval will be more of a replica to what they can expect in the T20 World Cup so this will be valuable preparation. Whenever Bangladesh have been in this part of the world in the past they have batted well but their bowling has been found out.
Pakistan
Bangladesh aren’t the only ones who come into this tri-series having been active in recent times. Pakistan have just completed a hugely entertaining seven match series against England which they were narrowly on the losing end of. They won’t have wanted to lose that series but a bigger concern for them in terms of this tournament is more likely to be that they played the final game with England on Sunday and now play in New Zealand on Friday. That is a tough schedule.
In that series Pakistan were fine with the ball in the main but their batting is a real issue. Obviously it is no bad thing to have arguably the two most consistent performers in this format in their side but should those openers fail, particularly if they fail in the same match, you just wonder if there are enough runs in this side to keep them competitive even allowing for the fact that they don’t need huge scores to defend. This could be a chance to show there is.
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Team News
There is no Mushfiqur Rahim for this series or indeed the World Cup so it looks like Nurul Hasan will play as the keeper and Litton Das will play as a batter. Shakib al Hasan is expected to lead the side despite being in the CPL last week.
Pakistan might choose to freshen up their side after the defeat to England last week. Shaheen Afridi is in the World Cup squad and you would imagine at some point in this series he’ll be given the chance to prove his fitness.
Betting
Given that neither of these two have had much time in the conditions and that they aren’t always the easiest for batting in Christchurch at the best of times I think the sixes line could be a little on the high side at 10.5. Pakistan don’t go on the offensive in terms of six hitting too early in their innings and to be fair to the Pakistan attack it doesn’t go around the park without risks being taken too early and I’m not sure the batters will be in position to take those risks just yet.
We are pretty early in the New Zealand summer to expect perfect batting conditions here but even if we get them we know there are issues with the Pakistan batting and Bangladesh don’t always flourish with the bat in these conditions. Hagley Oval isn’t one of those small grounds in New Zealand either so when you put everything together I don’t think this 10.5 sixes line will be covered unless there is a bizarre circumstance.
Tips
Back Under 10.5 sixes for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with BetVictor
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