Pakistan has encountered difficulties in this tournament, with a string of losses following their initial two wins. They have played five matches, securing victory in only two, and now find themselves in the sixth position on the points table.

On the other hand, Bangladesh’s performance has also been lackluster, managing to secure just one win out of six matches. They have faced defeat in five matches and currently reside second to last in the points table. The upcoming match holds significant importance for both teams.

Pakistan: In Pakistan’s recent match against South Africa, they faced a gripping encounter, ultimately losing by just one wicket. Prior to that, they suffered a significant defeat at the hands of Afghanistan, with eight wickets to spare. Winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first and their batting performance was commendable, amassing a total of 282 runs in their allotted 50 overs. Captain Babar Azam led the charge as the highest run-scorer with 74 runs from 92 balls, including four boundaries and a massive six. Abdullah Shafique also delivered a noteworthy performance, contributing 58 runs, striking five boundaries and two sixes.

Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed played crucial roles, each scoring 40 runs. Saud Shakeel chipped in with 25 runs. However, Pakistan’s bowling unit struggled in the tournament, which had been a key factor in their previous losses. Despite having prominent bowlers like Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Hasan Ali, they found it challenging to secure early breakthroughs. Even the spin bowling department, with Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan, couldn’t live up to expectations. In the end, they conceded the target of 283 runs in 49 overs, with Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi taking one wicket each, while Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, Shadab Khan, and Iftikhar Ahmed failed to claim any wickets. Pakistan must secure a victory in this match to bolster their chances of reaching the semi-finals.

Bangladesh: Bangladesh started the tournament on a positive note by defeating Afghanistan in their opening match. However, they struggled to maintain their winning momentum and have now suffered five consecutive losses. In their most recent defeat, they faced a substantial 87-run margin against the Netherlands, following a previous loss to South Africa by a significant 149-run margin. After winning the toss, Bangladesh chose to bat first. Their batting performance was commendable as they posted a total of 256 runs in their allotted 50 overs.

Litton Das was the top-scorer, contributing 66 runs from 82 balls, featuring seven boundaries. Tanzid Hasan also made a significant impact with the bat, scoring 51 runs off 43 balls, including five boundaries and three sixes. Mahmudullah added 46 runs to the total, striking three boundaries and the same number of sixes. Mushfiqur Rahim managed to score 38 runs, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Najmul Hossain Shanto couldn’t make substantial contributions.

However, the bowling department of Bangladesh struggled throughout the tournament, as was evident in their recent match where they failed to defend the target of 257 runs, conceding it in just 41.3 overs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the only successful bowler, taking two wickets in his ten overs, giving away 47 runs. Hasan Mahmud managed to pick up one wicket but conceded a significant number of runs, with an economy rate of 8.13. Unfortunately, the rest of the bowlers, including Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, and Mahmudullah, failed to secure any wickets.

Bangladesh now faces the challenge of winning most of their remaining matches to have a chance of reaching the semi-finals. However, it appears to be a daunting task, as they need to compete against strong teams in the tournament. The road to the next stage seems challenging for them, and their prospects don’t seem very promising.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (Captain), Mohammad Rizwan (Wicket-Keeper), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Shaheen Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq.

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim (Wicket-Keeper), Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mahmudullah, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Mehidy Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed.

Based on cricket predictions, Pakistan holds the tag of being the favorite to emerge victorious in this upcoming match against Bangladesh. Several factors contribute to Pakistan’s favored status:

• Superior Overall Strength and Experience: Pakistan boasts a stronger and more experienced cricket team in comparison to Bangladesh.
• Potent Batting Order: Pakistan’s batting lineup is marked by its strength and capability, making it a formidable force.
• Rich Bowling Resources: Pakistan’s bowling unit is endowed with depth and quality, giving them an advantage over Bangladesh.
• Historical Success: Pakistan has a track record of winning most of the matches contested against Bangladesh.

In contrast, Bangladesh has faced some challenges in the tournament, winning just one out of the six matches played. These considerations collectively contribute to Pakistan’s higher likelihood of securing victory in this particular match.

Pakistan enters the upcoming match as a well-balanced side, equipped with a robust batting order and a formidable bowling unit, which significantly enhances their prospects for victory. The prediction for today’s cricket match outcome, along with the corresponding winning probabilities, is as follows:

Pakistan: 60% chance of winning
Bangladesh: 40% chance of winning

These calculations take into account Pakistan’s strength and favorable attributes, positioning them as the more likely victors in this contest.

The outcome of the coin toss is poised to have a significant impact on the results of all matches in the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023. As per our toss prediction, the team winning the toss is likely to opt for batting first. This decision is rooted in the expectation that the pitch’s behavior will remain consistent throughout both innings, providing an advantage to the team setting the target.

The 31st match of the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 is set to take place at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Previous matches at this venue have shown that the pitch is favorable for batting, although it tends to be slower compared to other pitches. Additionally, it provides assistance to spin bowlers. It is our expectation that the pitch will deteriorate over time, making batting more challenging in this match. Achieving a score of over 300 runs is likely to be a formidable task for the chasing team.

The weather outlook for Kolkata does not appear favorable for the upcoming cricket match. While there are indications of rain, we remain optimistic about completing the full match. Notably, the recent rainfall in Pakistan led to disruptions in several previous matches. With that in mind, there’s a possibility that this match might also be affected by rain, potentially prompting the implementation of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method to determine the outcome.

• Venue: Eden Gardens
• Location: Kolkata, India
• Established: 1864
• Seating Capacity: 63,000
• Ends: High Court End, Pavilion End
• Time Zone: UTC +05:30
• Home Teams: Bengal, Kolkata Knight Riders
• Floodlights: Available
• Head Groundsman: Probir Mukherjee