Pakistan will face an uphill task in their quest to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals when they face Asian rivals Bangladesh on Friday at the Lord’s Cricket Ground. Pakistan currently are in fifth place with 9 points, two behind fourth-placed New Zealand. However, a victory will not be enough for the Men in Green as they need to beat the Bangla Tigers by a huge margin (308 runs) to reach the last four of the tournament.
Let’s now take a look at Pakistan’s predicted XI for this match-
Imam-ul-Haq
The stylish left-hander has failed to capitalize on the good starts he has got in the World Cup. In their last game against Afghanistan, Imam scored 36 runs before getting stumped to Mohammed Nabi. He admitted that he should have finished the game against Australia. He will now look to take Pakistan into the semis.
Fakhar Zaman
He was a revelation of the 2017 Champions Trophy where he scored a hundred in the final against India. But in the 2019 World Cup, Fakhar has been subdued as he has managed just 173 runs in 7 matches for Pakistan so far. It could be his last opportunity in the 2019 World Cup and Fakhar will look to make the most of it.
Babar Azam
{{/usCountry}}Babar Azam
{{/usCountry}}He has been called the Virat Kohli of Pakistan and has time and again proved to be the glue that sticks the Pakistani middle-order. He has scored the most number of runs- 373 - for a Pakistani batsman in this World Cup and his team will need another performance of note from the 24-year-old on Friday.
Mohammad Hafeez
The senior-most batsman in the line-up has been mediocre in the tournament so far. He has 226 runs in 7 matches but is only averaging 32. In the game against New Zealand, he got out to a rash shot while trying to heave Kane Williamson on a difficult pitch. However, Pakistan will again look to make use of his experience in a must-win match against Bangladesh.
Haris Sohail
Ever since being drafted into the line-up in place of Shoaib Malik, Haris Sohail has dominated the opposition bowlers. In the four matches that he has played, Sohail has scored 192 runs at an average of 48. If Pakistan are too fancy their chances of reaching the semis, then Sohail will have an important part to play.
Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt & wk)
The skipper has marshalled his troops commendably in the last 4 matches but some costly mistakes at the start of the tournament have come back to haunt him. His batting has also disappointed as he averages just 28 in the World Cup so far. A captain’s knock is needed against Bangladesh.
Imad Wasim
The left-hand all-rounder has performed well with the bat with some useful hitting in the lower middle-order. But his display with the ball has been dismal. Imad has only 2 scalps to his name, averaging 81. But he is likely to retain his place in the line-up.
Shadab Khan
Pakistani spinners have struggled on the English pitches and Shadab Khan is no different. He has 7 wickets but hasn’t been able to consistently put pressure on the batsmen. However, Pakistan might not want to tinker with a winning combination, so Shadab might keep his place in the side.
Mohammad Amir
Amir has been the stand-out player of the tournament so far for Pakistan. On the verge of being left out of the World Cup squad, Amir has proved his worth with his lethal deliveries. With 16 wickets to his name, Amir has been one of the top bowlers at the World Cup. In a do or die match, Amir will be the key for the Men in Green.
Wahab Riaz
Wahab made a comeback to the ODI team after 2 years and has justified his selection with some wicket-taking displays. He was again on target against Afghanistan after taking 2 wickets for just 28 runs. It could be his last World Cup outing and Wahab would like to go out with a bang.
Shaheen Afridi
After starting on a disappointing level, Shaheen Afridi has dismantled the batsmen with his pace and swing. The youngster took 4 wickets against Afghanistan to restrict them to just 227 runs and now his services will be in dire need when Pakistan takes on Bangladesh.