Bangladesh elects to bat first vs. Pakistan

Associated Press

MIRPUR, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim won the toss and elected to bat in a must-win Asia Cup game against Pakistan on Tuesday.

Winless Bangladesh needs to win both its remaining matches, and also get at least one victory with a bonus point, to have any chance of qualifying for the final against Sri Lanka.

A victory for Pakistan will book a place in the final irrespective of the results in the remaining two league matches: Afghanistan vs. India and Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh.

Pakistan gave Fawad Alam and left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman their first games of the tournament in place of opening batsman Sharjeel Khan and fast bowler Junaid Khan.

Experienced all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan returns for Bangladesh after serving a three-match ban, and is among five changes made by the home side after a shocking defeat against first-timer Afghanistan in the previous match.

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Lineups:

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Imrul Kayes, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Ziaur Rahman, Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam, Al-Amin Hossain.

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Fawad Alam, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Rehman, Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal.