Bangladesh, after boycotting the T20 World Cup 2026, will return to action as they host Pakistan for a three-match ODI series. The ODI series will kick off tomorrow at the Sher-e-Bangla in Dhaka. The hosts are currently ranked 10th in the ICC ODI rankings. Any other slip-up in their position will mean that they will not directly qualify for the ODI World Cup.
Bangladesh is ahead of 11th-placed Zimbabwe by a slender lead of 22 points. Zimbabwe, as the co-hosts of the tournament, will automatically qualify for the ODI World Cup, in spite of their rankings. Meanwhile, Bangladesh would want to overtake 9th-placed West Indies so their qualification is not affected by Zimbabwe.
How can Bangladesh increase its 2027 ODI World Cup qualification chances?
Bangladesh can increase its ODI World Cup qualification chances by overtaking the West Indies in the ICC Men’s rankings. The Bangla Tigers would aim to win against Pakistan at home. Given their experience and success at home, Bangladesh would fancy their chances of defeating the 1992 champions.
The top-eight ranked teams, excluding the hosts, would automatically qualify for the ODI World Cup. Currently, Bangladesh is placed 10th, with South Africa (host) taking the fifth ranking. As things stand for now, teams finishing in the top nine ICC Men’s rankings would qualify automatically.
The target, therefore, remains clear for the Tigers. The West Indies ranked ninth with 77 points, having one point more than Bangladesh. Overtaking the Windies is essential to make sure that the Asian nation does not have to play the qualifiers.
Why is direct qualification important for Bangladesh?
Securing a direct qualification to the ODI World Cup 2027 is crucial for Bangladesh. Given the varying conditions in South Africa and Zimbabwe, playing at home and securing qualification is a big advantage that Bangladesh would not like to squander.
Playing the qualifiers in Zimbabwe and South Africa can prove to be tricky for them and could pose multiple challenges. The competition in the qualifiers can often be cutthroat, and even the non-full member nations can cause an upset with a surprising victory.
The Netherlands, for instance, in spite of being a lowly ranked ODI team, had qualified ahead of two-time champions the West Indies for the 2023 ODI World Cup. Playing in alienating conditions could prove to be the reason behind them not making it to the ODI World Cup for the first time since 1996.
Phil Simmons talks about the ODI World Cup qualification
Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons talked about how the goal is to get the Bangladesh cricket team better at playing ODI rather than focusing on qualification. “The ultimate aim is to improve our standard in ODI cricket rather than getting too caught up in qualification mathematics,” Simmons said while talking about the ODI World Cup qualifications.
The 62-year-old talked about how improving the quality of cricket remains the top priority. Simmons, talking about the importance of ODI rankings, said, “While the long-term objective is to reach a stronger position in the rankings before the qualification cut-off date, the immediate priority is to improve the quality of cricket we are playing.”
Bangladesh vs Pakistan ODI Series: Fixtures
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Bangladesh vs Pakistan, 1st ODI, 11th March, 2:15 (Local Time)
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Bangladesh vs Pakistan, 2nd ODI, 13th March, 2:15 (Local Time)
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Bangladesh vs Pakistan, 3rd ODI, 15th March, 2:15 (Local Time)
Bangladesh’s squad against Pakistan
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (C), Afif Hossain, Litton Das, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Rishad Hossain, Saif Hassan, Shoriful Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Towhid Hridoy
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