Bangladesh’s T20I journey has often been a tale of false starts and fleeting sparks. But as they step onto the familiar turf of the Shere Bangla National Stadium (SBNCS) to take on Pakistan today, there’s a quiet confidence brewing, the kind that comes from a hard-earned comeback, not just rhetoric.
Just days ago in Colombo, Litton Das’s men clawed back from 1-0 down to beat Sri Lanka in a T20I series for the first time. It wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. A sign that this young, evolving side might finally be finding its rhythm in the shortest format. 

Now, they hope to carry that momentum into another tough test against a team that has historically had their number.

Pakistan have beaten Bangladesh in 19 of their 22 T20I meetings. The scars from their 3-0 defeat in Lahore just two months ago are still fresh. 

But this time, the setting is different, the energy is different - and so, perhaps, will be the outcome.
“We made a good comeback in Sri Lanka. Everyone has taken confidence from that,” skipper Litton Das said ahead of the first match on Sunday. 

“But this is a new game, a new challenge. We’ll need to play our best cricket again.”

That sense of staying grounded while carrying belief has defined Bangladesh’s approach in recent days. Litton, who found some form in the last series, is leading from the front. 

Young openers like Tanzid Hasan have shown promise. The middle order, with Shamim Hossain and Towhid Hridoy, finally seems to be coming together. And the spin attack - Bangladesh’s ever-reliable weapon - remains potent, especially at Mirpur.

The wicket, Litton observed during training, looked balanced. 

“I thought it looked like a good wicket. Should have something for both bat and ball,” he said, suggesting that Bangladesh are not expecting a typical slow turner, but they are prepared either way.

Pakistan, who didn’t train on matchday eve, are missing Shadab Khan but boast plenty of firepower and familiarity with the conditions, thanks to several of their players featuring in the BPL.

“It’s a very different condition for us, obviously, and Bangladesh at any stadium, any ground, any country is a very good side. And when it comes to home, they are a very, very good side. And we know what the challenges that are going to be thrown at us, and we are up to that, and we are very excited to come here to play,” Pakistan captain Agha Salman said in the pre-match press conference.

“We just focus on playing good cricket, and the cricket we want to play. And in this series, we are going to focus on the same thing. We just want to play good cricket in every single game.  And this is what our focus is going to be. If we win by that, we can win 3-nil, we’ll be more than happy,” he added.

Still, the focus remains firmly within the Bangladesh camp. 

After years of inconsistency in T20Is, this is a chance not just to beat a top side, but to show that progress is more than a one-off result.

Momentum, they say, is everything in T20 cricket. Bangladesh finally have it — now it’s about holding on.