Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons has confirmed that experienced batter Litton Das will bat at No.5 in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Pakistan national cricket team.

Das has not batted at the No.5 position since the 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, but Simmons believes the move to the middle order could help the 31-year-old rediscover his rhythm in 50-over cricket. The right-hander has struggled for runs recently, failing to reach double figures in his last eight ODI innings.

Simmons explained that Das was fully supportive of the decision and was ready to adapt to whatever role the team required. According to the coach, Das has always been comfortable batting in different positions and viewed the change as an opportunity to contribute more effectively to the team.

“He has been comfortable batting anywhere,” Simmons said. “He is more relaxed with his game now and sees this as a chance to do what the team needs. We didn’t have to convince him at all. Once we explained what the team required, he was happy to take on the responsibility.”

Das previously enjoyed success batting at No.5 during the 2019 World Cup, where he produced a memorable unbeaten 94 against the West Indies cricket team. Simmons believes returning to that role could once again bring out the best in the Bangladesh batter.

For Pakistan, the ODI series in Bangladesh will be their first assignment since a disappointing campaign at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka, where they failed to progress to the knockout stages.

Pakistan have included six uncapped players in their squad for the tour, while senior batter Babar Azam has been left out of the team. Head coach Mike Hesson believes the series will provide an excellent opportunity for emerging players to prove their abilities at the international level.

The three-match ODI series will be played at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.

Series Schedule:

• First ODI: March 11 – Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka

• Second ODI: March 13 – Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka

• Third ODI: March 15 – Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka

Bangladesh Squad:
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (c), Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Litton Das, Afif Hossain, Mahidul Islam Bhuiyan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana.

Pakistan Squad:
Shaheen Afridi (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha, Shamyl Hussain.