PCB announces match officials for Pakistan-Bangladesh T20I series

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the match officials for the upcoming three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Bangladesh, starting May 28 in Lahore.

Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugalle, a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and the most experienced referee in international cricket with 804 matches across formats, will serve as the match referee for the series. He also oversaw seven matches in the recently concluded HBL PSL 10.

For the first T20I, Asif Yaqoob and Rashid Riaz, both from the PCB International Panel of Umpires, will stand as the on-field umpires. Ahsan Raza from the ICC Elite Panel will be the third umpire, while Faisal Khan Afridi from the ICC International Panel will serve as the fourth umpire.

In the second match, Rashid Riaz and Faisal Afridi will take on-field duties, with Ahsan Raza as third umpire and Asif Yaqoob as fourth.

The third and final T20I will see Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob as on-field umpires, Faisal Afridi as third umpire, and Rashid Riaz as fourth umpire.

The Bangladesh team arrived in Lahore on May 25 and will hold two practice sessions before the series begins. All three matches will be played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, with an 8:00 PM start time.

This series holds added significance for Pakistan as it marks their first assignment under newly appointed white-ball head coach Mike Hesson.

Several senior players, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi, have been rested. The selectors have chosen a mix of youth and experience, rewarding players for their recent performances in the HBL PSL. Notable names in the squad include Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Sahibzada Farhan, and the returning duo of Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman, who have recovered from injuries.

Pakistan squad for T20I series against Bangladesh:

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub.

The series was initially planned as a five-match contest to be played in Lahore and Faisalabad. However, due to internal concerns from the Bangladesh camp, it was shortened to three matches, all in Lahore.

Revised T20I series schedule:

28 May – 1st T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – 8:00 PM
30 May – 2nd T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – 8:00 PM
1 June – 3rd T20I, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore – 8:00 PM

Pakistan enjoys a dominant record against Bangladesh in T20Is, winning 16 out of 19 matches. Their last meeting was during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Adelaide.