Bangladesh stands a chance to rise to ninth place in the ICC ODI rankings if they emerge victorious against Pakistan in the forthcoming three-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, scheduled from March 11 to 15.
Presently positioned 10th with 76 rating points, Bangladesh is trailing ninth-placed West Indies by just one point. A 2-1 series triumph would propel the Tigers to 79 points, securing the ninth spot, while a 3-0 sweep would elevate them to 80 points.
Conversely, a 2-1 series loss would deadlock Bangladesh with West Indies at 77 points but keep them behind on decimal points, whereas a 3-0 defeat would see their points drop to 74.
Pakistan, currently occupying the fourth spot in the ODI rankings, will maintain their position irrespective of the series outcome, although their rating points might fluctuate.
For Bangladesh, this series holds added importance as they are currently outside the automatic qualification zone for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup, set to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October-November.
While hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe are guaranteed automatic qualification along with the top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings by March 31, 2027, the remaining four slots will be decided through qualifiers. Despite co-hosting the event, Namibia will not receive automatic qualification due to not being a full ICC member.
Pakistan is scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on March 9 and will undergo training the next day in preparation for the series opener on March 11, followed by matches on March 13 and 15.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently revealed a 15-member ODI squad for the series. Notably, former captain Babar Azam is absent from the squad, with left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi leading the team.
The squad includes six uncapped players: Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, and Shamyl Hussain.
Bangladesh is yet to announce their squad for the series.
