'Pakistan are Ahead of Bangladesh': Mohammad Rafique opines ahead of ODI Series | Exclusive

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The three-match ODI series between Bangladesh and Pakistan gets underway on March 11, 2026, at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.

The Tigers return to the international fold after a hiatus, which saw them not take part in the T20 World Cup, which was due to geopolitical tensions with India.

Bangladesh, captained by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, set to play on home soil, where spin-friendly pitches and raucous crowds have historically troubled visitors. The hosts aim to exploit turning conditions and capitalize on their strong recent home form.

Pakistan, under Shaheen Shah Afridi's leadership, adopt a bold youth-focused approach with six uncapped players in their 15-man lineup. T20 World Cup hero Shahibzada Farhan, Shamyl Hussain, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, and Saad Masood have been included in the squad, while former captain Mohammad Rizwan also makes a return.

Despite the lack of experience on the Pakistan side, Bangladesh stalwart Mohammad Rafique believes the visitors are favourites in the series.

Pakistan are ahead of Bangladesh: Mohammad Rafique

The legendary spinner, during an exclusive chat with MyKhel, opines that Bangladesh players will come into this series on the back of long leisure, while Pakistan's recent World Cup participation may fuel the side.

"Pakistan are ahead in this series. They have just played a World Cup and their players are match fit. On the other hand, Bangladesh missed out on the World Cup, and the players will have to cope with the long break."

Rafique also wants the Bangladesh fans to be realistic about the upcoming series, claiming that they can't expect something extraordinary from this side as they need time to rebuild.

"We have to be patient with the team as they need time to get settled. If we think we'll whitewash Pakistan, that won't happen. We have to be realistic, and the team must play more matches. Bangladesh haven't played a sufficient number of matches across all formats, and we need that to get better. You can only get better with more game time. There are not many senior players in the team, and when that happens, it takes some time to recoup."