It's less than 48 hours ago that the PSL concluded with a spectacular final at the Gaddafi Stadium, where these three games will all take place. Ticket prices have been slashed, and the start time has been pushed back by an extra half-hour to allow the relatively cooler evening conditions time to take hold.

Pakistan begin yet another new era, though the frequency of these reboots likely stretches the meaning of that word to breaking point. Mike Hesson has been appointed the white-ball coach. Regarded as one of the game's canniest thinkers with a stellar resume of leading teams to success behind him, you'd think his arrival represents an exciting new time in Pakistan cricket. A bit like when Gary Kirsten was appointed to the same position 12 months earlier.

Team news

A side strain has ruled Mohammad Wasim Jnr out of the series, with Abbas Afridi named his replacement. With this being Hesson's first squad, there are positions up for grabs in the batting order, while Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf are expected to make up the seam-bowling numbers.

Pakistan: 1 Sahibzada Farhan/Mohammad Haris (wk) 2 Saim Ayub 3 Fakhar Zaman 4 Hasan Nawaz 5 Salman Ali Agha (capt) 6 Shadab Khan 7 Khushdil Shah 8 Faheem Ashraf 9 Haris Rauf 10 Hasan Ali 11 Abrar Ahmed

Bangladesh have a limited pace attack so they will have to bring in at least two of their spinners into the XI. It might be a choice between vice captain Mahedi Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Litton Das (capt), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Jaker Ali (wk), 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz/Mahedi Hasan, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Shoriful Islam