IN BRIEF
Date: Pakistan vs. Bangladesh will take place on Wednesday, 6th September 2023, at 15:00. (IST) at 14:30 (Local Time) and at 10:30 (UK)
Venue: Pakistan vs Bangladesh will take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan
Weather: Conditions are expected to be extremely hot throughout, with bright sunshine before clear skies later and light winds as temperatures reach highs of 37c
TV & Streaming: Viewers in India and the subcontinent can watch this match live on Star Sports channels or stream it via the Disney+ Hotstar app. Viewers in Pakistan can watch this match live on PTV Sports and TEN Sports or stream it through the Tapmad app and website. Viewers in Bangladesh can watch this match live on Gazi TV or stream it on Rabbit Hole or through the Toffee app. Viewers in Afghanistan can watch this match live on Ariana TV. Viewers in the UK can watch this match live on TNT Sports or stream it via Discovery+. Viewers in Australia can watch this match live on Fox Sports or stream it via the Foxtel or Kayo Sports app.
KEY BETTING STATS
- Pakistan have won eight of their last ten 50-over fixtures – To Win the Match
- Shaheen Shah Afridi has taken six wickets across Pakistan’s two Asia Cup fixtures played so far – Team – Top Bowler
- Mohammad Naim has scored under 29.5 runs for Bangladesh in each of their last two Asia Cup fixtures – Batter Match Runs
BETTING ANALYSIS
After thrashing Nepal in their opening Asia Cup fixture in Group A by 238 runs, Pakistan’s second match against fierce rivals India was brought to an early conclusion by rain without a winner being determined. Pakistan had bowled India out for 266, meaning they have taken 20 wickets from a possible 20 so far across the tournament, and their pace bowlers have dominated. Left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi backed up his two wickets against Nepal with a four-wicket-haul vs. India and is well worth backing to take over 1.5 wickets here via the Bowler Total Match Wickets market. Another Pakistan bowler who warrants investment in this market is right-arm pacer Haris Rauf, who took five wickets over the course of the group stage and, like Shaheen, will pose a huge threat to the Bangladesh batters. With the bat, it’s hard to look beyond Pakistan captain Babar Azam when it comes to potential top scorers in this contest. His one innings so far in the 2023 Asia Cup saw him strike a majestic 151 against Nepal, and he’ll be expected to pick up where he left off in the Super Four. Consider backing Babar to score a fifty in this match and finish as Pakistan’s top scorer via the Team–Top Batter market.
With the pressure firmly on Bangladesh following their defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, the Tigers bounced back strongly to ensure their passage into the Super Four stage with a resounding 89-run win over Afghanistan. Racking up 334/5 with the bat, Bangladesh went on to bowl their opponents out for 245. After having batted in the middle order against Sri Lanka, Mehidy Hasan Miraz was moved up to open the batting vs. Afghanistan and hit 112 not out before being forced to retire hurt due to cramps. It would be sensible to wait until the team line-ups are released before investing in Mehidy here. If he is fit to play and open the batting, then consider backing Mehidy to score a fifty against Pakistan. Right-arm fast bowler Taskin Ahmed took four wickets in the Tigers’ most recent victory and has the quality to really trouble the Pakistan top order with the new ball. With that in mind, it may prove a smart play backing Taskin to finish as his side’s top bowler in this one. It would also be remiss not to mention Shakib Al Hasan, whose quality with bat and ball makes him an enticing bet in numerous different betting markets. One in particular that stands out is the Player of the Match market, with the Bangladesh skipper able to affect the game via multiple avenues.
CRICKET 8’S EXPERT PREDICTION
The expectation is that the pitch in Lahore will be extremely good to bat on, with a lightning-fast outfield to boot. Therefore, with a number of world-class batters set to feature in this first Super Four fixture of the 2023 Asia Cup, a high-scoring encounter may be on the cards. When assessing Pakistan and Bangladesh, it’s hard to look beyond Babar Azam regarding players capable of racking up runs. Pakistan’s captain will open the batting for his side and combines control with aggression expertly. On the back of that wonderful 151 against Nepal in the group stage, it would be a surprise if he did not record another significant knock here against the Tigers.
TIP: BABAR AZAM TO SCORE A FIFTY IN THE MATCH
