In the first match of the New Zealand tri-series on Friday in Christchurch, Pakistan set a target of 168 against Bangladesh.

Earlier, Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Taskin Ahmed of Bangladesh took 2 wickets for 25.

Regular Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan is not playing in this match. He joined the team on Thursday after playing in CPL.

In Shakib's absence, Nurul Hasan Sohan tossed the coin for Bangladesh.

Mehidy Hasan, the Bangladesh all-rounder, said Thursday that Shakib would play the first match. But the champion all-rounder is not in the playing XI of the first match. And the team management has not revealed any reason.

Before this series, Bangladesh played 16 T20Is against Pakistan and won only two of them.

Bangladesh: Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Litton Das, Nurul Hasan (C), Yasir Ali, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed

Pakistan: Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Haider Ali, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dahani.

Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque