The Afghanistan tour of Bangladesh, which had been on a hiatus, is set to resume with the commencement of the ODI series on Wednesday. The first match of the three-match series will take place on Wednesday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, Bangladesh.
The two teams have had divergent outcomes in their recent limited-overs series, with Afghanistan suffering a 1-2 defeat against Sri Lanka while Bangladesh secured a comfortable 2-0 victory against Ireland on home soil.
Bangladesh will enter the upcoming series against Afghanistan with positive momentum. However, they are fully aware of Afghanistan’s talented and well-rounded squad and will not underestimate their opponents. Historically, the pitch at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium has favored spinners, with a tendency to be slow in nature.
Taskin Ahmed has made a comeback to the squad following his recovery from an injury, while Tamim Iqbal will lead the Bangladesh team. Shakib Al Hasan, who missed the one-off Test due to a finger injury, is fit and available for the ODI series. Mushfiqur Rahim will serve as the team’s permanent wicketkeeper.
For Afghanistan, Rashid Khan has returned to the squad for the ODI series against Bangladesh, with Hashmatullah Shahidi leading the side. Spinner Izharulhaq Naveed has received his first ODI call-up but is unlikely to feature in the first ODI. Besides Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ibrahim Zadran, and Mohammad Nabi are expected to play key roles for their side.
What has happened so far?
This series is a continuation of the only test that was played between the two sides in January of this year. Bangladesh thrashed Afghanistan by a massive 546-run victory at their home ground in Mirpur.
The shorter format series starts on Wednesday, with Bangladesh hoping for a clean sweep and Afghanistan wanting to get back on the road after getting a series defeat against Sri Lanka earlier this June.
Head to Head Record
Bangladesh has the upper hand against Afghanistan in the head-to-head record
Bangladesh and Afghanistan have played a total of 11 matches against each other in one-day internationals. Bangladesh has emerged victorious on seven occasions. Out of these seven wins, four were at their home ground and three were on a neutral venue. While Afghanistan team has won four matches against Bangladesh, out of which no win was at home and three were on an away venue.
Key Players
Taskin Ahmed (Bangladesh): After successfully recuperating from an injury, Taskin Ahmed is set to rejoin the squad. Taskin was included in the Bangladesh Test team for a solitary match against Afghanistan, where he showcased his prowess by taking four wickets in the second innings.
Consequently, he is expected to be the most formidable and menacing bowler for Bangladesh. In his ODI career so far, Ahmed has picked up 78 wickets in the 57 matches he played. The last three ODI’s have also been great for the fast bowler where he got five scalps in total.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): Having last participated in an ODI series back in November of the previous year, Rashid Khan is now entering the upcoming series following a triumphant performance in the IPL. Although he was given a break during the Sri Lanka ODI series and the one-off Test series, it is anticipated that he will maintain his exceptional form and make a significant impact.
The 24-year-old spinner always leaves a mark with the ball and even with the bat. In the 87 ODI matches he has played in his career so far, he has picked up 163 wickets for Afghanistan. In the last three ODIs as well, Khan has scalped a cumulative eight wickets.
Predicted XIs
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal ©, Najmul Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Towhid Hirdoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Ebadot Hossain
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi ©, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Zia ur Rehman
Prediction
Both Afghanistan and Bangladesh are expected to give a tough fight in this series. The first match will be a test for the team bowling first as it is expected to assist the spinners. Both teams will also be meeting on October 7th later this year in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
In the first match, Afghanistan seems to outshine Bangladesh because they have the upper hand in the spinning department. Although Bangladesh has won more matches against Afghanistan, the fight will be an exciting spectacle to watch.