Ireland captain Paul Stirling won the toss and elected to bat first in the second T20 International against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The decision sets the stage for a high-stakes encounter, with Bangladesh facing a must-win situation to keep the three-match series alive.
Ireland currently leads the series 1-0 after a comprehensive 39-run victory in the first match.
Team News: One Change for Ireland, Three for Bangladesh
Sticking largely with a winning formula, Ireland made just one change to their lineup.
- IN: Ben Calitz
- OUT: Curtis Campher
This change will see middle-order batter Ben Calitz, who has played just one T20I, come into the side.
Facing elimination, Bangladesh’s captain Litton Das made three significant changes to the team that lost the opener, aiming to find the right balance.
- IN: Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nurul Hasan
- OUT: Shoriful Islam, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain
The inclusion of all-rounder Mahedi Hasan and seamer Mohammad Saifuddin adds depth to both the bowling and batting departments, while experienced wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan also returns to the fold.
The Stakes
With the series on the line, the pressure is firmly on the home side. Ireland, brimming with confidence, will look to post a challenging total and seal the series with a game to spare. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will need a vastly improved all-round performance to level the series and force a decider.
Playing XIs:
Ireland: Paul Stirling (capt), Tim Tector, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Ben Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Matthew Humphreys, Josh Little
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain, Saif Hassan, Litton Das (capt & wk), Towhid Hridoy, Nurul Hasan, Tanzim Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Saifuddin
