Ireland's stand-in skipper Paul Stirling have won the toss and elected to field in their first of three-match T20I series against hosts Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.
Following a series sweep of world champions England in their previous three-match T20I series, the Tigers will hope to continue their good form against Ireland.
Bangladesh have gone with just one change in the eleven that featured in the final T20I against England earlier this month. Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed replaces Tanvir Islam in a like-for-like replacement in the eleven.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan said during the toss that they are not going to take Ireland lightly, given that 'anyone could win in a T20 game'. Hence, the Tigers go with their usual combination of three pacers -- Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, and Mustafizur Rahman -- a left-arm spinner in Nasum and two all-rounders -- Shakib and Mehedi Hasan Miraz.
Meanwhile, the visitors will be desperate to turn things around and put on a much better showing in this series after losing the three-match ODI series 2-0 with the second game washed out.
Playing XIs:
Bangladesh: 1 Litton Das (wk), 2 Rony Talukdar, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Towhid Hridoy, 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Nasum Ahmed, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Hasan Mahmud.
Ireland: 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Ross Adair, 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Gareth Delany, 8 Mark Adair, 9 Craig Young, 10 Graham Hume, 11 Ben White.
