Hosts Pakistan aim to end Champions Trophy on a high against Bangladesh following underwhelming group-stage exit.
Who: Pakistan vs Bangladesh
What: ICC Champions Trophy Group A match
When: Thursday, February 27 at 2pm (09:00 GMT)
Where: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Follow media’s live text and photo commentary stream from 05:00 GMT.
Pakistan’s hurting players will be motivated by pride in their dead rubber against Bangladesh, head coach Aaqib Javed said, after the hosts were dumped out of the Champions Trophy in the group stage.
The defending champions’ hopes of reaching the semifinals were ended after defeats to New Zealand and India, leaving their final Group A game in Rawalpindi inconsequential.
Rain washed out the Australia-South Africa Group B match on Tuesday and more is predicted on Thursday, leaving Pakistan in danger of finishing fourth and last on net run-rate.
Whatever happens, it will be a disappointing conclusion to Pakistan’s first hosting of a major international cricket competition in three decades.
“There are no excuses, there shouldn’t be any in life, but I can assure you that the players are more hurt than the fans and want to leave a mark in the last game,” said Aaqib on Wednesday.
“The players are not satisfied, no one is satisfied after losing, but everyone tries hard to win, and by doing so, we have recently won a series in Australia and South Africa.”
Pakistan beat Australia 2-1 in November – their first ODI series win there for 22 years – before whitewashing South Africa 3-0 in the build-up to the Champions Trophy.
“This is the Champions Trophy, where the eight best teams are playing, so after two defeats we have to start from zero,” said Aaqib.
“Every game is played for pride, so we want to leave a mark on Thursday,” said Aaqib.
Their Champions Trophy flop left former Pakistan players and fans angry over the continuous failure of the team, having also crashed out of the 2023 World Cup and Twenty20 World Cup last year, both in the first round.
Aaqib admitted losing to archrivals India left fans emotional.
“People are more involved in an India-Pakistan match and they do not accept a defeat against India and that defeat in Dubai has left them more dejected,” said Aaqib.
Pakistan were below par against a formidable India in Dubai on Sunday, losing by six wickets.
“We managed just 241 in batting and when facing a strong batting line-up, you attack in order to get wickets, and in the process, you bowl on both sides,” said Aaqib.
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