Pakistan vs Bangladesh Betting Tips – Pakistan Favourites In Dead Rubber

• Pakistan vs Bangladesh Group A Preview
• Pakistan Form
• Pakistan Team News
• Bangladesh Form
• Bangladesh Team News

Pakistan and Bangladesh have both been knocked out of the Champions Trophy after two losses each in their first two games. Both teams have been well below par against two of the better teams in the world, in New Zealand and India.

That means Thursday’s match will be a dead rubber with only a consolation win to play for. That also means that one of these teams will go through the Champions Trophy without a win. Having hosted the majority of this tournament, Pakistan will surely hope that they win at least one match.

Pakistan are coming off a drubbing at the hands of India in the previous game. In yet another display of sordid batting, Pakistan limped their way through the middle overs before eventually finishing at 241 all out. That was nowhere close to enough against the class and skill of India’s batters as they knocked away the target with more than seven overs to spare.

Bangladesh also played a similar game in their previous match against New Zealand. Having batted first, Bangladesh could only manage 236 for 9 in 50 overs, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto who scored 77 but took 110 balls.

That rearguard performance was needed after Bangladesh found themselves at 118 for 5. New Zealand needed 46.1 overs to cruise their way into the semi-finals with no Bangladesh bowler showing incisiveness on a fairly flat pitch in Rawalpindi.  

Pakistan Form

Pakistan have been in poor form in recent ODI cricket at home. On the flatter pitches in Pakistan, they have barely shown any intent against teams that have displayed superior skill and talent across the board, traits that are becoming requisites in new-age ODI cricket.

Mohammad Rizwan scored 46 but took 77 balls, Imam-ul-Haq managed 10 but gobbled 26 balls to do that. No Pakistan batter, apart from Haris Rauf’s 8 off 7 balls, managed a strike rate of over 100 in the match against India. This is more evidence that Pakistan have simply been too placid in this Champions Trophy.

Pakistan have a chance to address that immediately in a match against Bangladesh, who have also struggled to show any intent in this tournament. While Pakistan’s bowling has been decent, there is a sense that their batting has to step up soon.

Pakistan Team News

With their tournament done, Pakistan may bring in some changes to give more chances to the younger players.

Bangladesh Form

Expectations on Bangladesh were low going into this tournament, and they have met those expectations. Against India and then New Zealand, Bangladesh had no way out after failing in the first half of their batting innings.

Against India, they were reduced to 35 for 5 while that number went up to 118 for 5 against New Zealand. Both were not good enough against teams that were simply too skilled for them.

Like Pakistan, Bangladesh’s bowlers have tried and tested the opposition batters but they haven’t been able to build any pressure considering their scores have been too low to defend with any vigour or sustained intensity.

Bangladesh Team News

Bangladesh will be desperate for a win but we could see a few changes for them too.