It is not often that Pakistan enters a match against Bangladesh tagged as the underdogs and with their confidence at its lowest.

Ahead of the only T20 between the two sides today, the 'favourites' tag is well deserved by Bangladesh after their 3-0 rout of Pakistan in the ODI series and if its anything is anything to go by, Mashrafe Mortaza's batting line-up appears settled and in terrific form. Their bowling is a nice all round look to it as well.

Pakistan will welcome the change of format though. It is ranked No. 3 in the International Cricket Council's T20I rankings and is among the most consistent sides in a format known for its unpredictability. Shahid Afridi, who retired from ODIs after the World Cup, will lead Pakistan and will look to inject some much-needed positivity into the camp.

Current form, momentum and home advantage point to Bangladesh. It wouldn't be wise, however, to rule out Pakistan in a format which is as unpredictable as its cricket.

Opinion

A long week

A long week

There’s some wariness about the excitement surrounding this moment of international glory.

Editorial

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