Cricket
Asia Cup Cricket: A look back at Bangladesh’s 5 memorable victories
Bangladesh's first victory in the Asia Cup Cricket came against Hong Kong in a group stage contest in the eighth edition of the tournament in Sri Lanka in 2004. Bangladesh have so far won 10 games in the competition, including ODI and T20 formats. With the fifteenth edition of the tournament about to kick off, let’s take a look at the Bangladesh men’s team’s five unforgettable victories in Asia Cup history.
Bangladesh men’s team’s five memorable victories in Asia Cup cricket
Since 2012, the Bangladesh national men’s cricket team started to win matches consistently in the Asia Cup Cricket competition.Nine out of their ten victories in the tournament’s history came in the previous four editions. Some of the triumphs were truly memorable ones for cricket fans. Let’s have a look at Bangladesh’s five outstanding victories in the Asia Cup.
Bangladesh vs India (2012 Asia Cup)
Venue: SBNCS, Mirpur
Result: Bangladesh won by 5 wickets
It was Bangladesh’s second match in the competition, and they had to overcome India in their quest for the final berth. Not many thought Bangladesh would be able to beat a very strong Indian side, especially after Sachin Tendulkar’s historic milestone.
Read Asia Cup Cricket: India holds historical edge over Pakistan
Sachin completed his 100th international century in the contest and guided India to 289/5. A confident Bangladesh side took an aggressive approach and chased down the target with 4 balls to spare. Shakib Al Hasan was named player of the match after scoring 49 runs in 31 balls.
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (2012 Asia Cup)
Venue: SBNCS, Mirpur
Result: Bangladesh won by 5 wickets (D/L Method)
Bangladesh would play in the final if they beat Sri Lanka, and that was the equation prior to the match. A revitalized Bangladesh squad was committed to beating the Lankan team, and they were successful in their mission. Sri Lanka made 232 after being asked to bat first.
The Tigers chased down the revised target of 212 in 40 overs with 17 balls remaining for the loss of 5 wickets. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan once again played a vital role for his team. He won the player of the match award after taking two wickets and hitting 56 off 46 balls.
Read Asia Cup Qualifier 2022: Which team is the favourite to qualify?
Bangladesh vs Pakistan (2016 Asia Cup)
Venue: SBNCS, Mirpur
Result: Bangladesh won by 5 wickets
The 2016 Asia Cup was played in the Twenty20 format. Bangladesh had to defeat Pakistan in their last match of the group stage to get to the championship game against India. It was a low-scoring, tightly contested affair which eventually Bangladesh won by 5 wickets. The team Tigers chased down Pakistan’s 130 runs target with 5 balls to spare. Soumya Sarkar played a crucial 48 off 48 balls as an opener and won the player of the match award.
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (2018 Asia Cup)
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Result: Bangladesh won by 137 runs
Bangladesh’s match against Sri Lanka was the 2018 Asia Cup opener. It was one of the more memorable matches for the Tigers' cricket fans. Tamim Iqbal was applauded for his heroic decision to come out to bat with a broken finger after being injured early in the innings. He remained unbeaten for 2* but gave great support to Mushfiqur Rahim to go after the Lankan bowlers.
Read Asia Cup 2022: 12 Key Players to Watch in the Tournament
Mushfiqur went on to score 144 and set a 262-run target for Sri Lanka. Bangladesh eventually won the contest quite comfortably by 137 runs and made a strong start to the competition. For a magnificent century, Mushfiqur Rahim won player of the match.
Bangladesh vs Pakistan (2018 Asia Cup)
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium
Result: Bangladesh won by 37 runs
The last fixture between Bangladesh and Pakistan in the Super Four round was a do-or-die contest in their quest for the final berth. Mushfiqur Rahim’s 99-run knock guided his side to put up a challenging 239-run on the board. Bangladesh did manage to beat Pakistan thanks to some quality bowling performances.
Pakistan finished their innings at 202/9 in 50 overs and conceded a 37-run defeat. Left-arm pacer Mustafizur bagged 4 wickets, but Mushfiqur won the player of the match award for his outstanding knock. Bangladesh reached their third Asia Cup final in six years with this triumph.
Read Asia Cup 2022 Group B Preview: Can Bangladesh Reach Super 4 Round?
Aftermath
The Bangladesh men's team had trouble competing in the early Asia Cup cricket competitions. The roaring tigers showcased their true potential to the cricketing world in the eleventh edition of the competition in 2012. Defeating two Asian powerhouses, India and Sri Lanka, in the group stage secured a spot in the final of the 2012 Asia Cup.
Bangladesh Men's Cricket team's 5 outstanding victories in Asia Cup made the nation proud. Bangladesh made it to three finals in the previous four competitions, but failed to win any titles. However, no one can deny that the performances of Tigers' in the recent Asia Cup competitions were quite praiseworthy.
Tigers leave for Asia Cup keeping a low expectation
The Bangladesh cricket team left Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon for the UAE to play this year’s Asia Cup starting from August 27.
While most of the members of the Bangladesh cricket team took the flight on Tuesday, Taskin Ahmed and Anamul Haque Bijoy have to fly later. They are trapped in a visa-related issue.
A BCB official said both of them are expected to take a flight to the UAE on Wednesday.
A day before flying to the UAE, Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh T20 captain, said they are not expecting a lot from this year’s Asia Cup. Bangladesh have been failing to meet the expectation in this format of cricket for the last few years.
Read:Asia Cup squad: Md Naim called up on eve of departure
Along with Bangladesh, five more teams are participating in Asia Cup which will be played in the T20 format for the second time.
The first Asia Cup T20 was held in Bangladesh in 2016 when the hosts ended up as runners-up and India took the title in Dhaka.
In their first match, Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan, and in the second, Bangladesh will play against Sri Lanka.
“If we display some good cricket in the Asia Cup than we have done over the last few years, it would be an achievement,” Shakib said on Monday, in his first media conference after becoming the T20 captain recently. “We should not expect that we would make the final.”
Bangladesh will not get the service of head coach Russell Domingo in the Asia Cup. For now, Domingo will be coaching the Bangladesh team in Tests and ODIs only.
The BCB has appointed former Indian cricketer Sridharan Sriram as the technical consultant for the Bangladesh T20 team. He will be the head of Bangladesh’s think-tank in the Asia Cup, Nazmul Hasan, the BCB president confirmed on Monday.
ENG vs SA 2nd Test: Can England stop a confident South African team?
England have no choice but to win the ENG vs SA 2nd Test match if they are to remain in the series. South Africa, on the other hand, will be even more motivated to clinch the series with a game in hand. One of the major reasons for South Africa’s drive is to collect the crucial 12 points and get even closer to earning a place in the second edition of the 2021–2023 ICC Test Championship final. Therefore, both teams will be determined to compete at their highest level. The match promises a battle of tactics, aggression, and a commitment to overcoming each other. The England versus South Africa second match preview is discussed in this article.
England vs South Africa 2nd Test Preview
The English campaign is likely to hit back hard after a demoralizing loss to South Africa in the series-opening Test at Lord’s in London. The South African side is full of confidence at the moment. The visiting side will try to frustrate the home team by continuing their good work in the second match as well. England have remained unbeaten in their last three matches at Old Trafford, which can boost their confidence.
Besides, England have only lost one match against South Africa and been victorious in four at this ground. The second Test match will begin on August 25 (Thursday) at Old Trafford in Manchester. The scheduled start time of the match is 4 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Read Asia Cup Qualifier 2022: Which team is the favourite to qualify?
Test record between England and South Africa at Old Trafford in Manchester
Match
England Won
South Africa Won
Draw
9
4
1
4
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
England
What went wrong for the English team to lose the opening match in three days? The reason might be that their Bazball strategy didn't turn out as expected. Did English batters aim to be aggressive against South Africa?
Although they adopted an aggressive strategy, the Proteas bowling unit's disciplined bowling performance made sure that England's team was twice bowled out for less than 200 runs during the game. The English campaign must evaluate which approach will serve them best and how they might attack the opposition if they want to maintain their dominance in the second match.
Predicted Playing XI
Top-Order: Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope;
Middle-Order: Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes (wicket-keeper), Stuart Broad
Lower-Order: Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, James Anderson.
Read England to play 3 Test matches in Pakistan in December
South Africa
The South African side was delighted after snatching a commanding victory over England. Their bowling ticks almost every box and puts the opposition batters under pressure by maintaining a good bowling display. Kagiso Rabada, in particular, was sensational, claiming seven wickets in the first Test. He also reached the 250-wicket milestone.
Anrich Nortje also had a brilliant outing, picking up six wickets in the contest. The Proteas side will thrive for an even better performance in the second Test, so that the English side gets no chance in the contest.
Predicted Playing XI
Top-Order: Dean Elgar (captain), Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen;
Middle-Order: Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Marco Jansen, Kyle Verreynne (wicket-keeper), Keshav Maharaj;
Lower-Order: Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.
Read Hasnain replaces injured Afridi for Asia Cup
Manchester's 2nd Test between ENG and SA: Pitch Report & Weather Forecast
The second Test match venue, Old Trafford in Manchester, hasn’t hosted a Test match since August 2020. It’s a pitch where the pace bowlers usually dominate. As per the last three years' stats, Stuart Broad has taken the highest 27 wickets in 8 innings.
Besides, the team that batted first won three out of the last four Test matches. The toss-winning captain may opt to bat first here at Old Trafford. There is a minimal chance of rain, especially in the last two days of the match. Otherwise, the weather is likely to remain sunny and sometimes cloudy from Thursday to Monday.
Bottom Line
The Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum pair’s winning momentum in Test cricket came to an end when South Africa handed them an innings defeat in the opening Test of a 3-match series at Lord’s. The majority of the cricketing world has started to criticize that the Proteas practically buried McCullum’s intent to implement the Bazball tactic into the Test format after registering a thumping win over England.
Read Sridharan to call the shots in Asia Cup as consultant
The English campaign is unlikely to change their new tactic after just one loss. But they have to make some adjustments in their playing XI and possibly in their game plan in order to overcome the visiting side in the ENG vs SA 2nd Test. On the other hand, South Africa will be looking to duplicate their first Test performance and win the series.
Asia Cup Qualifier 2022: Which team is the favourite to qualify?
The winner of the qualifier competition will join the five full members of the ICC to take part in the 2022 Asia Cup of cricket in the United Arab Emirates. The Asia Cup Qualifier 2022 is currently taking place in Oman, where Hong Kong, Kuwait, Singapore, and the UAE are battling it out against each other for the quest of a main event berth. Let’s take a look at which team has a good chance to advance to the fifteenth edition of the competition.
A short overview of the 15th Asia Cup cricket qualifier
The qualifier tournament was originally scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur in August 2020. But it was later postponed to the following year due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The competition didn’t take place last year either, due to the postponement of the Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka was awarded the hosting rights for both the qualifier and the second edition of the Asia Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament in 2022. However, Sri Lanka later told the ACC that they are unable to host the event because of the nation's political and economic turmoil. The highest governing body of the Asian Cricket Council then confirmed that the United Arab Emirates will host the Asia Cup main event and Oman will organize the qualifier competition.
Read Asia Cup 2022 Group B Preview: Can Bangladesh Reach Super 4 Round?
The scenario of the Asia Cup Qualifier 2022
To enter the qualification event, the ACC divided the country into two regions: East and Western. The top two teams from each region advanced to the main qualification event. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates qualified from the Western region, while Singapore and Hong Kong qualified from the Eastern region.
The qualifying competition in Oman started on August 20 and will continue till August 24. Each of the four participating nations will play against each other for a berth in the Asia Cup cricket 2022, which will start on August 27 (Saturday) in the UAE. The top team in the qualifier will be eligible to compete in Group A of the Twenty20 format Asia Cup cricket 2022 tournament. They will meet two heavyweights, India and Pakistan, in the group phase.
Among the four teams in the qualifier, the UAE are the highest ranked side and arguably the toughest to beat. The United Arab Emirates is currently ranked 12th with 192 rating points by the ICC. They are just 2 rating points shy of 11th-ranked Zimbabwe.
Read Asia Cup 2022: 12 Key Players to Watch in the Tournament
The other participating teams are close to each other in terms of T20 rankings. Singapore are in the 23rd position, while Hong Kong and Kuwait are in the 26th and 27th positions, respectively.
Three matches have already been completed out of six. Singapore has already been eliminated from contention for a spot in the Asia Cup 2022 after losing two straight games. The United Arab Emirates are currently in the top spot with two points. Hong Kong and Kuwait also have two points each, but the UAE are holding the first position thanks to a better run rate.
Current Asia Cup Qualifier 2022 standings (as on August 22)
Team
Match
Win
Loss
Points
NRR
United Arab Emirates
2
1
1
2
1.045
Hong Kong
1
1
0
2
0.400
Kuwait
1
1
0
2
0.274
Singapore
2
0
2
0
-1.375
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/men-s-t20-asia-cup-qualifier-2022-1328843/points-table-standings
Read Asia Cup Cricket: India holds historical edge over Pakistan
Verdict
The remaining three matches of the Asia Cup Qualifier 2022 will decide the eventual winner of the competition. The Kuwait men’s T20 team will secure a place in the fifteenth edition of the Asia Cup if they win their remaining fixtures. Therefore, Kuwait have a better chance to advance to the main event. However, if Kuwait lose their scheduled match on Tuesday, the last fixture of the Qualifier between the UAE and Hong Kong on Wednesday could be the decider.
England to play 3 Test matches in Pakistan in December
England will play a three-Test series in Pakistan as part of the World Test Championship (WTC) in December, the Pakistan Cricket Board said Monday.
Rawalpindi will host the first test from December 1-5 while the second Test will be played at Multan from December 9-13.
Pakistan's favourite home ground – the National Stadium at Karachi – will host the third and final Test from December 17-21.
Pakistan have lost just two Test matches at Karachi out of 44, with one of the defeats coming against England in 2000. South Africa won the other Test when it beat Pakistan by 160 runs in 2007. Pakistan have won 23 test matches at the National Stadium.
It will be England's first Test tour to Pakistan since 2005. England are also scheduled to play a seven-match Twenty20 series in Pakistan next month as a build-up for the T20 World Cup in Australia before returning in December for the Test series.
England will play a Test match in Rawalpindi for the first time. Pakistan has happy memories in Multan where they beat England by 22 runs during their last tour 17 years ago.
Read: Hasnain replaces injured Afridi for Asia Cup
"We have been working closely with the PCB over recent months and I am grateful to them for everything they have done, and continue to do, to make our Test and T20 tours a mouth-watering prospect for all involved," ECB's interim chief executive officer Clare Connor said in a statement.
"The return of our men's Test team to Pakistan for the first time since 2005 will be a historic occasion. The opportunity to play Test cricket in front of passionate cricket lovers in Pakistan after such a long time is something to be cherished."
Zakir Khan, the PCB's director of international cricket, said Pakistan and England have historically produced some close test matches.
"Pakistan cricket fans have waited for almost 17 years to see elite England players in action," Khan said.
"Both the sides have evolved since they last played in Pakistan in 2005 and have recently been playing entertaining and exciting cricket. I remain confident this series will live up to the expectations of the global cricket fans who want to watch and enjoy competitive and thrilling matches."
England are in seventh place in the WTC points table while Pakistan is fifth.
Hasnain replaces injured Afridi for Asia Cup
Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain has replaced the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi for the Asia Cup in the UAE.
The 22-year-old Hasnain returned to cricket in June after remodelling his bowling action. He was suspended in February after being called by umpires during the BBL.
The right-arm fast bowler has taken 17 wickets in 18 T20s and played his last T20 against the West Indies in Karachi in December 2021.
Hasnain is representing the Oval Invincibles in the Hundred competition in England and will join the Pakistan team in the UAE.
During the Hundred competition, Australia's Marcus Stoinis mimicked Hasnain's bowling action with a throwing motion when he was walking back to the dugout after being caught by the fast bowler's short-pitched delivery.
Read: Sridharan to call the shots in Asia Cup as consultant
However, the Australian batter was not formally sanctioned for questioning the legality of Hasnain's bowling action.
Afridi was ruled out of the Asia Cup and also from next month's seven-match T20 series against England after doctors advised him to rest for at least four to six weeks to fully recover from a knee injury.
Pakistan are placed in Group A along with archrival India and a qualifier. Pakistan will play their opening game against India Saturday.
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are in Group B with the top two teams going through the Super 4 stage.
Sridharan to call the shots in Asia Cup as consultant
In a decisive shift, newly-appointed technical consultant Sridharan Sriram will call the shots for Bangladesh during the upcoming Asia Cup, and overall in T20Is going forward, BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon confirmed to the media today.
Head Coach Russell Domingo, will now work concentrate on Tests and ODIs - as such, he is not even going to be with the team in UAE for the regional T20I honours.
Last week, the BCB confirmed the appointment of Sridharan— a former Indian player and coach of several IPL teams.
“As of now, we have no head coach during the Asia Cup,” Nazmul told the media on Monday. “Domingo will remain our coach in Tests in ODIs. We have a fielding coach, batting coach and other staff. Sridharan will give us the plan to do well in T20Is, now why do we need a head coach?”
Also read: Asia Cup squad: Md Naim called up on eve of departure
In an unconventional move, the BCB president said the coaching staff will be under the leadership of himself and other directors of the board who will be travelling with the team. UNB has learnt that the board president and Jalal Yunus, the chairman of the BCB cricket operations committee, are confirmed to travel with the team during the Asia Cup.
“We may have different captains in white-ball and red-ball cricket,” Nazmul added. “We also need different teams in the different formats of the game with different coaching panels for our teams. Unless we have all of these, we are not prepared well.”
This is not the first time that the BCB is thinking to appoint different captains for different formats of the game. Until Mominul Haque was removed from the Test captaincy, Bangladesh had three different captains in the three different formats of cricket.
While Mominul was the Test captain, Mahmudullah Riyad and Tamim Iqbal were the captains of T20Is and ODIs respectively. But some dismal results led to Mominul's resignation from the longest format, and Riyad's time was up in the shortest one.
Also read: Don't expect big things at Asia Cup: Shakib
Shakib was bestowed the responsibility in both cases. Tamim remains ODI skipper.
The Bangladesh team will fly to the UAE on August 23 to play in the Asia Cup. A total of six teams are going to play in the biggest cricketing event in Asia. In the group stage, Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan and Sri Lanka on August 29 and September 1.
Asia Cup squad: Md Naim called up on eve of departure
Opening batsman Mohammad Naim has been included in the Bangladesh squad for the Asia Cup 2022 beginning on August 27 in the UAE, replacing the injured pacer Hasan Mahmud.
The Bangladesh team will depart from Dhaka for Dubai tomorrow (Tuesday) evening to compete in the T20 Asia Cup.
Naim, who was part of the Bangladesh A team during the recent Tour of the West indies, will join the team in Dubai on Tuesday. The 23-year-old left-hander has been capped 34 times for Bangladesh in T20 internationals
Meanwhile, Hasan and wicket-keeper Nurul Hasan Sohan, who were originally selected in the squad, will miss the Asia Cup due to injury.
Read: Asia Cup 2022 Group B Preview: Can Bangladesh Reach Super 4 Round?
Mahmud suffered a ligament damage to his right ankle during training on Saturday, and is sidelined for at least three weeks.
Sohan underwent a surgery on his left index finger in Singapore two weeks ago and needs more time to recover.
It means although the selectors initially named a 17-man squad, the final selection under captain Shakib Al Hasan is 16.
Bangladesh squad for Asia Cup:
Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Anamul Haque Bijoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Musaddek Hossain Saikat, Mahmud Ullah, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Shaif Uddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Shabbir Rahaman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon and Mohammad Naim.
Don't expect big things at Asia Cup: Shakib
Bangladesh T20 captain Shakib Al Hasan has asked the country's cricket community not to expect big things at the Asia Cup, starting August 27 in the UAE.
Playing down his team's chances at the tournament, the all-rounder said Bangladesh played 35 T20s in the last two years and won only 13 of them.
"If we can show a bit of improvement at the Asia Cup from what we have done over the last few years, it would be an achievement," Shakib told the media Monday. "One should not expect that we will make it to the final."
Also read: Shakib Al Hasan: Expectations from Bangladesh’s T20 captain in Asia Cup 2022
The last time the Asia Cup was played as a T20 event was in 2106 when hosts Bangladesh finished runners-up to India.
Shakib said rather than hoping to win the Asia Cup, the expectations should be about doing better in the shorter format of the game in the next four years.
"We are a good team and we have done it before. And we do not have to change the way we play cricket but it is important that we use our resources properly," the all-rounder added.
Bangladesh will not get the service of head coach Russell Domingo at the Asia Cup. Domingo will coach the Bangladesh team in Tests and ODIs only.
Also read: T20s: Need to be like a baby learning to walk, says Shakib
The BCB has appointed the former Indian cricketer Sridharan Sriram as the technical consultant (T20 head coach) for the Bangladesh T20 team.
The Tigers will travel to the UAE for the upcoming Asia Cup on August 23. Six teams will play in the biggest cricketing event in Asia.
In the group stage, Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan and Sri Lanka on August 29 and September 1.
Asia Cup 2022 Group B Preview: Can Bangladesh Reach Super 4 Round?
The Asia Cup cricket 2022 will begin with the group phase contest. Six teams will be divided into two groups, each containing three. India, Pakistan and the winner of the qualifier will play in Group A. On the other hand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan will play in Group B, which is considered the group of death. The Asia Cup 2022 Group B preview is discussed in this article.
Asia Cup Cricket 2022: Group B Preview
Finishing in the top two in the Group B points table will be a real challenge as all are well capable of advancing to the Super Four phase. A fiercely contested battle is expected in all three matches in this group. Let’s take a closer look at each squad in this group.
Bangladesh
The Bangladesh cricket team’s recent T20 performances have been unimpressive. Their two T20I victories this year have come against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, respectively. They even failed to win a series against the Zimbabwean team a few weeks ago.
Read Asia Cup Cricket: India holds historical edge over Pakistan
So, the Bangladesh team is not heading to the Asia Cup with their best of form. Appointing Shakib Al Hasan as captain and hiring Sridharan Sriram as technical consultant are two good decisions the BCB made prior to the tournament. However, as per recent form, Bangladesh will not start as the favourite to finish in the top two in Group B.
Strengths
Having Shakib Al Hasan as captain could be Bangladesh’s main strength in the tournament. The Shakib-led Bangladesh team is expected to be rejuvenated during the main event. His decision-making ability, game awareness and leadership qualities are compared to none at the moment in Bangladesh. Besides, spinners can play a vital role in the middle overs to check the run flow of the opposition.
Weaknesses
The Bangladesh team has two major weaknesses in the T20 format of cricket. The team doesn’t have an established opening pair, and there is no proper power hitter for the death overs. It remains to be seen how they will address the deficiencies during the Asia Cup. Multiple sources have claimed that Shakib wants Mushfiqur Rahim to open the innings. The selectors recalled Sabbir Rahman to play the power hitting role in the middle order.
Read Asia Cup 2022: 12 Key Players to Watch in the Tournament
T20 Records against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan
Bangladesh have a poor T20 record against both Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. The team Tigers has won only four matches and lost eight against Sri Lanka. On the other hand, Bangladesh have three victories and five losses against Afghanistan.
Predicted Playing XI:
Top-Order: Mushfiqur Rahim (wicket-keeper), Anamul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan (captain);
Middle-Order: Afif Hossain, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mosaddeck Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin;
Lower-Order: Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka have played eleven Twenty20 matches this year, eight against Australia and three against India. They have won two matches and both came against Australia. So, playing against tough opposition will boost Sri Lanka’s confidence ahead of the group stage clashes. The Lankan side will start as favourites to finish top in Group B.
Read Shakib Al Hasan: Expectations from Bangladesh’s T20 captain in Asia Cup 2022
Strengths
Over the last one year, the cricket world has witnessed some seriously talented T20 format cricketers from Sri Lanka. They have some individual match-winners, which is their biggest strength. Among them, all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga will top the list. Besides, Dushmantha Chameera, Pathum Nissanka, and hard-hitter Dasun Shanaka are some of Sri Lanka’s top performers in recent series.
Weaknesses
Most of the Lankan players don’t have enough international experience. Besides, constructing a match-winning playing XI could be a major concern for them.
T20 Records against Afghanistan and Bangladesh
Sri Lanka have won eight matches against Bangladesh and lost four. On the other hand, Sri Lanka won the only T20 game they played against Afghanistan in 2016.
Predicted Playing XI
Top-Order: Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka,
Middle-Order: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (wicket-keeper), Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (captain), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne,
Lower-Order: Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Praveen Jayawickrama.
Read Asia Cup 2022: SWOT Analysis of Bangladesh National Men’s T20 Cricket Squad
Afghanistan
Afghanistan have won the majority of their T20 matches this year. However, all of their fixtures were against weaker opponents. They have some T20 specialist players who have the ability to change the scenario of a match on their own. Afghanistan will start as the second favourite to qualify for the Super Four round from this group.
Strengths
Afghanistan have some of the best T20 format spinners in their squad. Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Rashid Khan are all world-class bowlers. Besides, their captain, Nabi, is the current world No. 1 all-rounder. He would probably be the most vital player for the Afghan side. They have some quality power hitters as well, and one of them is Hazratullah Zazai.
Weaknesses
The Afghanistan team sometimes tends to lose grip whenever they face any tough opposition. The Afghan players have to develop patience and a steady approach to have a solid performance against stronger opponents.
T20 Records against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
Afghanistan have won five matches against Bangladesh and lost three. On the other hand, Afghanistan lost the only T20 match they played against Sri Lanka in 2016.
Read Asia Cup 2022: Who are favourites to lift the trophy?
Predicted Playing XI
Top-Order: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Ibrahim Zadran,
Middle-Order: Usman Ghani, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan,
Lower-Order: Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Asia Cup 2022: Full Fixtures of Group B
The Asia Cup of Cricket 2022 will kick off with the Group B match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. Here are the fixtures for Group B.
Date: 27 August | Match: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan | Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Date: 30 August | Match: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan | Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: 1 September | Match: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh | Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Verdict
According to the Asia Cup 2022 Group B preview, Bangladesh will not begin the match as the favourites to advance to the next round. However, if the Shakib Al Hasan-led Tigers T20 team can reach their full potential during the competition, they have the ability to shock everyone.
The favourites in this group, the Sri Lankan campaign is in full confidence, especially following a strong performance in their most recent T20 series against Australia. Afghanistan, on the other hand, has a reputation for being a deadly T20 team and is innately confident in their ability to defeat anyone. Bangladesh must thus work hard to defeat these two confident teams to secure a spot in the Super Four.
Read ICC CWC Super League: WI, SL, SA could miss out on direct qualification