By Tanzeel Ul Rehman | October 1, 2026
Our Pakistan vs Bangladesh semi final prediction gives Bangladesh a slight edge, 55 percent to 45, if a full match is played. If rain wipes out the game, Pakistan go to the gold medal match as the higher ranked side. The match starts at 9:00 AM local time on Thursday, October 1 at Kōrogi Sports Park, Nisshin, which is 5:00 AM in Pakistan and 6:00 AM in Bangladesh. The strangest fact about this game is that neither team has played a single ball in the tournament. All four quarter finals were washed out.
This preview covers what that means, the 2023 bronze medal thriller between these two sides, head to head numbers, likely XIs and a Dream11 team. Every result so far is on our Asian Games 2026 cricket hub.
PAK vs BAN Semi Final: Match Details
| Stage | Semi Final 1, men’s cricket, Asian Games 2026 |
| Teams | Pakistan vs Bangladesh |
| Date | Thursday, October 1, 2026 |
| Start | 9:00 AM Japan time |
| Venue | Kōrogi Sports Park, Nisshin |
| Captains | Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan), Litton Das (Bangladesh) |
| Winner | Gold medal match, Saturday October 3, 2:00 PM |
| Loser | Bronze medal match, Saturday October 3, 9:00 AM |
The other semi final is India vs Sri Lanka, later the same day. Both teams in this game are guaranteed a medal match on Saturday, so a win today is worth the difference between gold or silver and a fight for bronze.
PAK vs BAN Start Time Around the World
| Country | Local time |
|---|---|
| Japan | 9:00 AM Thursday |
| Bangladesh | 6:00 AM Thursday |
| India | 5:30 AM Thursday |
| Pakistan | 5:00 AM Thursday |
| UK | 1:00 AM Thursday |
It is another early alarm for fans in both countries, after the Monday and Tuesday quarter finals that never started.
How Did Both Teams Reach the Semi Finals Without Playing?
This has been a remarkable week in Nisshin. All four quarter finals were abandoned without a ball bowled, on Monday and Tuesday. In each case the higher ranked team went through: Pakistan over Hong Kong, India over Afghanistan, Sri Lanka over Nepal and Bangladesh over Malaysia.
That means all four semi finalists are the four seeded teams, and none of them has played a single match in Japan. Nepal and Malaysia, who both topped their groups, went home without losing a game. Our previews for Pakistan vs Hong Kong and Bangladesh vs Malaysia both warned that rain could decide those games on ranking, and it did.
For today, it creates two problems for both teams:
- No match practice. The players have spent a week in hotel rooms and indoor nets. Their first competitive over of the tournament will come in a semi final.
- No local knowledge. Neither side has seen how this pitch plays in a real game. The group stage suggested it is slow and low scoring, with an average first innings total of about 108 in the four completed games.
The side that adjusts faster in the first six overs will probably win.
What Happens If Rain Stops the Semi Final?
The rule used all week still applies. If no result is possible, the higher ranked team goes through. Pakistan are ranked above Bangladesh in T20Is, so a complete washout would send Pakistan to the gold medal match and Bangladesh to the bronze play off.
If play is possible but shortened, the umpires will set a revised target using the Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) method. No reserve day has been announced.
The ground staff have been fighting to dry the outfield after days of rain. Even if the rain stops, a wet outfield can delay the start and cut overs. Bangladesh need a match to be played, while Pakistan can go through without one. That shapes how both captains will think about the toss.
The 2023 Bronze Medal Game: Five Overs, One Last Ball
These two teams met at the last Asian Games in the bronze medal match in Hangzhou, and it was one of the most dramatic finishes of that event.
Rain cut the game to five overs a side. Pakistan made 48 for 1, with Mirza Baig on 32 not out off 18 balls. Bangladesh were given a DLS target of 65 and lost two wickets in the first three balls. Afif Hossain and Yasir Ali brought them back, but they still needed 20 runs off the last over.
The bowler for that over was Sufyan Moqim. Yasir hit two sixes in the first three balls and made 34 off 16 before falling on the fifth ball. Rakibul Hasan then hit the last ball for four to win the bronze medal.
Here is why that matters today: Sufyan Moqim is in Pakistan’s squad again, and so is Yasir Ali in Bangladesh’s. Moqim is now a far more established bowler, with 10 wickets in his last three T20s before the tournament. But the memory of that last over is there. If the game comes down to Moqim bowling at the death to a Bangladesh batter, 2023 will be on everyone’s mind.
Pakistan vs Bangladesh T20I Head to Head
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| T20I matches | 26 |
| Pakistan wins | 21 |
| Bangladesh wins | 5 |
| Asian Games meetings | 2023 bronze match, Bangladesh won off the last ball |
| Most recent series in Bangladesh | July 2025, Bangladesh won 2 to 1, their first T20I series win over Pakistan |
| Asia Cup 2025 | Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 11 runs to reach the final |
The overall record looks one sided, but the trend is not. For most of the last 15 years Pakistan beat Bangladesh almost every time. Since 2023, it has been much closer. Bangladesh won the Asian Games bronze match, then their first T20I series against Pakistan in Mirpur in 2025. Pakistan hit back in the Asia Cup a couple of months later.
The squads matter too. Pakistan have sent a young side, without Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan or Shaheen Shah Afridi. Bangladesh have sent close to their first choice T20 team, with Litton Das, Towhid Hridoy, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mustafizur Rahman. On paper, this is the most experienced XI Bangladesh have fielded against Pakistan at an Asian Games.
Pakistan vs Bangladesh Squads
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdul Samad (vice captain), Saim Ayub, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Arafat Minhas, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Saad Masood, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Sufyan Moqim, Mohammad Wasim Jr
Change: Mohammad Wasim Jr replaced left arm seamer Mohammad Salman Mirza, who was ruled out with a thumb injury.
Bangladesh: Litton Das (captain, wicketkeeper), Towhid Hridoy (vice captain), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Mosaddek Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud
Pakistan vs Bangladesh Semi Final Possible Playing 11
| Pakistan | Bangladesh |
|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | Litton Das (c, wk) |
| Sahibzada Farhan (c) | Tanzid Hasan |
| Haider Ali | Parvez Hossain Emon |
| Hasan Nawaz | Najmul Hossain Shanto |
| Usman Khan (wk) | Towhid Hridoy |
| Abdul Samad | Mosaddek Hossain |
| Arafat Minhas | Mahedi Hasan |
| Mohammad Wasim Jr | Rishad Hossain |
| Abrar Ahmed | Nasum Ahmed |
| Sufyan Moqim | Shoriful Islam |
| Akif Javed | Mustafizur Rahman |
Pakistan: Wasim Jr gives them a seam bowling all rounder at eight after Salman Mirza’s injury. Expect three spin options: Abrar, Moqim and Arafat Minhas.
Bangladesh: a very settled side. The only real call is whether Yasir Ali, the 2023 bronze match hero, gets in ahead of Mosaddek for extra batting. Mosaddek’s off spin probably keeps him in.
Three Battles That Will Decide the Pakistan vs Bangladesh Semi Final
Sahibzada Farhan vs Mustafizur Rahman. Farhan was the top run scorer at the 2026 T20 World Cup and likes to attack from the start. Mustafizur’s cutters are hard to hit on a slow pitch, and he is at his best when a batter tries to force the pace early. If Farhan bats through the powerplay, Pakistan will post 150 or more. If Mustafizur gets him, Pakistan’s inexperienced middle order is exposed.
Litton Das vs Abrar Ahmed. Litton is Bangladesh’s most important batter and one of their best players of spin. Abrar is Pakistan’s main wicket taker, with a mix of leg spin and mystery balls. On a surface that grips, this could be the key battle of the middle overs.
Rishad Hossain vs Pakistan’s middle order. Bangladesh’s leg spinner is in form, and Pakistan’s middle order of Hasan Nawaz, Usman Khan and Abdul Samad is built for power hitting rather than working the ball around. Rishad bowling overs 8 to 14 against them could decide the total.
What Game Plan Wins the Pakistan vs Bangladesh Semi Final?
Both captains have had a week to plan for a match they could not prepare for on the field. Here is what each side needs to get right.
Pakistan: Win the Powerplay, Then Squeeze
Pakistan’s best route is a fast start from Farhan and Saim Ayub while the ball is new and hard. On a slow surface, the scoring gets harder as the ball gets older, so runs in the first six overs are worth more than usual. A powerplay of 45 or more would give Pakistan a real chance to set 150.
With the ball, Pakistan should turn to spin early. Abrar, Moqim and Arafat Minhas can bowl eight to ten overs between them, and Bangladesh’s middle order has struggled against quality spin before. The danger comes at the end. Without Shaheen or Haris Rauf, Pakistan have no proven death bowler, so they need Bangladesh four or five wickets down by the 15th over.
Bangladesh: Survive the Spin, Trust Mustafizur
Bangladesh do not need a fast start. They need Litton or Shanto to bat deep and take the game to the last five overs, where their extra experience should count. Rotating the strike against Abrar is more important than hitting him for six.
With the ball, the plan is simple. Keep Mustafizur for overs 17 to 20 and use him as the final brake. If Bangladesh chase, they will want to keep wickets in hand, knowing that a rain interruption could change the DLS target at any point.
The team that sticks to its plan after a week without cricket will have the upper hand.
PAK vs BAN Dream11 Team for the Semi Final
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Wicketkeepers | Litton Das, Usman Khan |
| Batters | Sahibzada Farhan, Towhid Hridoy, Najmul Hossain Shanto |
| All rounders | Saim Ayub, Mahedi Hasan |
| Bowlers | Abrar Ahmed, Sufyan Moqim, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman |
Split: Pakistan 5, Bangladesh 6.
- Captain: Litton Das. He opens, keeps wicket and plays spin well on slow pitches. He has two ways to score points.
- Vice captain: Abrar Ahmed. On a low scoring ground, the best spinner in the match is a strong pick, and Abrar has been Pakistan’s main wicket taker.
- Grand league pick: Saim Ayub. He opens and can bowl a few overs of off spin. Many users will pick Farhan and skip Saim.
- If rain cuts the game short: Swap a spinner for Tanzid Hasan or Shoriful Islam. In a short game, openers and new ball bowlers get the most involvement.
Paid fantasy games carry financial risk. Please play within your limits.
Toss Call: Bat or Bowl in the Semi Final?
Our call: bowl first. There are three reasons. First, rain is still possible, and the side batting second will know the exact DLS target. Second, a damp outfield and morning conditions should help the seamers with the new ball. Third, neither team knows this pitch, and the side chasing can at least see what a good score looks like.
The one exception is if the ground is dry and the sky is clear. Then batting first and letting three spinners defend a total on a slow surface is a real option, and it is how Bangladesh won their 2023 quarter final against Malaysia.
Pakistan vs Bangladesh Semi Final Prediction: Who Wins?
| Factor | Edge |
|---|---|
| Experience of the XI | Bangladesh |
| Top order batting | Even (Farhan and Saim against Litton and Tanzid) |
| Spin attack | Even (Abrar, Moqim against Rishad, Mahedi, Nasum) |
| Death bowling | Bangladesh (Mustafizur) |
| Recent T20I form against each other | Bangladesh, slightly |
| Rain or washout | Pakistan (higher ranking) |
Prediction:
- If a full or shortened match is played: Bangladesh 55 percent, Pakistan 45 percent.
- If there is no play: Pakistan go through.
Our Pakistan vs Bangladesh semi final prediction leans towards Bangladesh because of experience. Their XI has played far more international cricket together than Pakistan’s young side, and in a knockout with no warm up games, that counts. Mustafizur at the death and three quality spinners give them control on a slow pitch.
Pakistan are still very capable of winning. Farhan in form can win a T20 on his own, and Abrar and Moqim can take wickets on any surface that turns. If Pakistan bat first and get to 150, the pressure moves to a Bangladesh middle order that has a history of freezing in big chases.
What Comes Next?
The winner plays the winner of India vs Sri Lanka in the gold medal match on Saturday, October 3, at 2:00 PM. The loser plays for bronze earlier that morning. Our India vs Afghanistan quarter final preview covers India’s squad, the likely opponent in the final. Full knockout fixtures are in our Asian Games 2026 schedule and squads page.
Where to Watch Pakistan vs Bangladesh
In India, the match is on the Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV. Fans in Pakistan and Bangladesh should check local sports channel listings for the early morning broadcast. For live scores, DLS updates and any delays, follow ESPNcricinfo’s semi final page. The story of the 2023 bronze match is in ESPNcricinfo’s report from Hangzhou.
Pakistan vs Bangladesh Semi Final FAQs
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Who will win the Pakistan vs Bangladesh semi final?
If a match is played, we give Bangladesh a slight edge at 55 percent, because their XI is more experienced. If rain means no result, Pakistan go through to the final as the higher ranked team.
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What time does Pakistan vs Bangladesh start?
It starts at 9:00 AM Japan time on Thursday, October 1, 2026. That is 5:00 AM in Pakistan, 6:00 AM in Bangladesh and 5:30 AM in India.
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Why have Pakistan and Bangladesh not played a match yet at the Asian Games?
Both were seeded straight into the quarter finals on ranking, and both of their quarter finals were abandoned without a ball due to rain. They went through as the higher ranked teams.
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What happens if rain washes out the semi final?
If no result is possible, Pakistan advance to the gold medal match because they are ranked higher than Bangladesh. Bangladesh would then play for bronze.
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Who won the 2023 Asian Games bronze between Pakistan and Bangladesh?
Bangladesh won off the last ball in a rain reduced five over game in Hangzhou. They scored 20 off the final over, bowled by Sufyan Moqim, with Rakibul Hasan hitting the winning four.
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Who is the best Dream11 captain for PAK vs BAN?
Litton Das is our top pick because he opens and keeps wicket. Abrar Ahmed is the best vice captain choice on a spin friendly pitch.
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Who will the Pakistan vs Bangladesh semi final winner play in the final?
The winner meets the winner of India vs Sri Lanka in the gold medal match on Saturday, October 3, at 2:00 PM Japan time. The loser plays in the bronze medal match at 9:00 AM that morning.
Final Word
For a semi final, this Pakistan vs Bangladesh match comes with a strange setup: two teams that have not played a ball, a pitch neither has seen, and a sky that has already decided four knockout games. If the weather allows a match, Bangladesh’s experience gives them a slight edge. If it does not, Pakistan reach the final without playing. Either way, watch the first over of the match closely. After a week without cricket, the first mistake could decide a medal.
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