Bangladesh to take on Pakistan in 3rd T20 today for series sweep

Bangladesh will take on Pakistan in the third and final T20 game today at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The match will begin at 6pm and will be aired live on T Sports and Nagorik TV.

The hosts took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20 series following their victories in the first two matches, securing their first-ever series win against Pakistan in this format.

Bangladesh vowed to make it 3-0 against Pakistan as sweet revenge for their ignominious whitewash during the Pakistan tour last May.

Since then, Bangladesh regrouped well to win four straight matches in this format-two against Sri Lanka and two against Pakistan. The first two wins helped them come from behind to seal their first-ever T20 series win against Sri Lanka.

They maintained that winning streak against Pakistan for a further boost, making them upbeat to sweep the series.

"The target obviously is to win the last match," said Jaker Ali Anik, the batter who played a stubborn 39-ball 56 to script Bangladesh's series-confirming victory.

Jaker, at the same time, warned against any complacency, saying that they are not taking Pakistan lightly despite winning the series with relative ease.

"There is no way that we'll take Pakistan lightly. They fought really hard in the second game, but in the end, we won the game.

"We have won four matches in a row, and this will give us the confidence ahead of the last match against Pakistan."

The third match against Pakistan is likely to be Bangladesh's last international match ahead of the Asia Cup, which will be held from September 5 to 21.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), however, is trying to arrange some matches for the national team in August after India postponed their tour here for a three-match ODI and T20 series.

On paper, however, the third match against Pakistan is the last chance for the team management to decide on the best combination and test the reserve bench. In this sense, Bangladesh may come up with some experiments in the third match.

Pakistan will become the seventh cricket team and the third top-tier nation to be whitewashed by Bangladesh if the Tigers win today. Bangladesh earlier swept series against Ireland, England, West Indies, Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates, and Afghanistan in T20 series.

Bangladesh have so far played 24 matches against Pakistan, winning five and losing 19.

Bangladesh: Liton Das (capt), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Naim, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mohammad Saifuddin.

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Moqim.