Any comparison of the two teams' current form and squad depth ahead of the first of the three-match T20I series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium would lead to the conclusion that Pakistan are well ahead of the hosts.

While the visitors head into the series in a settled rhythm following an outstanding performance in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup, Bangladesh can take no inspiration from a global event that left them seeking to address issues after a debacle.

Pakistan had emerged as the strongest contenders for the T20 title after winning five consecutive matches, before going down in the semifinal against Australia whereas everything went wrong for Bangladesh.

The Tigers' team management, under the guidance of team director and former national skipper Khaled Mahmud, has already made massive changes to the squad for the Pakistan series, leaving out a batsman of Mushfiqur Rahim's stature while also axing the likes of Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das. They will also desperately miss the services of injured all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.

However, against this backdrop, the new-look Bangladesh side has nothing to lose and can achieve something from this series regardless of whether they win or lose. The most vital question is whether this revamped side can play with a clear mindset.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) came under huge criticism in the first place for adopting slow and low tracks at home ahead of the T20 World Cup and everybody is now eager to see whether the team management will provide their players with a true sporting wicket, where players cannot fall back on the easy task of exploiting home conditions as they did in series wins against Australia and New Zealand.

Will players get the freedom to express themselves? Will specific roles and execution be the main target as they field a bunch of new players and contend with a dearth of T20 specialists unlike their opponents?

Bangladesh's team management can look back to the country's two T20I successes against the same opponents in 2015 and 2016, not to derive inspiration from wins but rather the processes that the team management followed under the leadership of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.

'Express yourself' was the mantra that saw Bangladesh achieve some brilliant results and heralded the emergence of players like Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman alongside tried and tested options.

Mahmudullah Riyad is not Mashrafe and the World Cup debacle has definitely taken a toll on his confidence, but this presents an opportunity for the experienced cricketer to stage a comeback and banish the gloom engulfing the team on and off the field.

Steaming in with the new ball in hand, Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has baffled even world-class players. It will be a tough task for the Bangladesh top-order to handle him irrespective of how the young pacer conceded three back-to-back sixes off Matthew Wade, who guided Australia to their first T20 World Cup final.

Bangladesh's glaring weakness in handling leg-spin is well established and it will be no easier task to negotiate Shadab Khan, Pakistan's most successful bowler at the World Cup.

Apart from the aforementioned bowlers, there are many in-form players who can change the game on the batting front as well such as Mohammad Rizwan, Shoaib Malik and captain Babar Azam.

In contrast, Bangladesh cannot single out an outstanding performer. They can however play the series with heart and collectively express themselves in the middle so that the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.