The much-awaited bilateral limited over series between Bangladesh and Afghanistan will begin on Wednesday at Chattogram's Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Chattogram will host the whole ODI series. Both teams will need to win this series to stay firm in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League (2020-2023). Therefore, both teams will do their best during the contest, but Bangladesh will start as favorites. The first match preview of BAN vs AFG ODI series 2022 is discussed in this article.
Bangladesh vs Afghanistan 2022: First ODI Match Preview
Veteran Tamim Iqbal will lead the Bangladesh ODI team, while top-order batter Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the Afghanistan limited-overs team. Tamim has captained Bangladesh in 15 One-Day Internationals, winning eight and losing seven. Oppositely, Afghanistan have yet to lose a match under Hashmatullah Shahidi. Afghanistan have won three matches under his leadership. On the other hand, Bangladesh will enter the series as obvious favorites because of their outstanding home record. The game will begin at 11 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Bangladesh
The most important thing is that all of the senior players will be available for the One-Day International series. As a result, a full-strength Bangladesh team will face the national team of Afghanistan in this series. Tamim Iqbal will be crucial for Bangladesh in the top order. He is the team's main anchor player in batting. Tamim must stay till the very end in order to achieve a competitive total. Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan will also help to bolster up the middle order.
Read: BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Bangladesh Squad Announced for Afghanistan Series
The left-arm pacer, Mustafizur Rahman is a key player in this condition in the bowling department. Mustafiz's accuracy as a bowler and his ability to deliver cutter in the death overs might pose a serious threat to Afghanistan's batting. Aside from him, Shakib Al Hasan, off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam will also be essential players for Bangladesh.
Predicted Playing XI
Top Order: Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Middle-Orders: Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Lower-Order: Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed
Afghanistan
Afghanistan's spin bowlers pose a major threat to Bangladesh in this BAN vs AFG ODI Series 2022. Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Qais Ahmed are among the batters that might offer a serious challenge to Bangladesh's batting lineup. The biggest issue for Bangladesh will be if the batters fail to figure out how to cope with Afghanistan's slower bowlers. On the other hand, Afghanistan would want to use their spinners to put pressure on Bangladesh’s batters.
Read: BAN vs AFG 2022: Attainable Milestones for Bangladesh Players in the Afghanistan Series
Afghanistan appear to have a very powerful bowling unit. However, they can't win matches based only on the quality of their bowlers. Batters will be required to contribute as well. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahmat Shah will have to shoulder most of the responsibility for a strong start in the top order. The Afghanistan captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, and Najibullah Zadran will be vital in the middle-order. They must be patient in the middle in order to form big partnerships that will enable Afghanistan to win matches.
Predicted Playing XI
Top Order: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wicket-Keeper), Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah.
Middle Orders: Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Lower Order: Qais Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Read BAN vs AFG 2022: Momentous ODI records between Bangladesh and Afghanistan
Pitch and Weather Report
The pitches in ZACS, Chattogram are expected to be suitable for a competitive match. There will be no benefit of dew later in the contest because the match will be played in daylight. The captain who wins the coin toss will likely select the field first in the first match of BAN vs AFG ODI Series 2022. The weather forecast indicates a beautiful day with no chance of rain on Wednesday.
Verdict
In the ODI format, beating Bangladesh at home is a difficult task for any team in the world. Bangladesh have only lost four of twenty ODIs at home since 2018, indicating that they are a tough opponent in their own backyard. Therefore, defeating Bangladesh in the BAN vs AFG ODI Series 2022 will be a major challenge for Afghanistan. In addition, Afghanistan have struggled in the One-Day International format against stronger opponents. Bangladesh will be able to defeat Afghanistan in the first match if they play with full confidence and execute their game plan as planned.
Read BAN vs AFG 2022: BCB Announced ODI Squad for Afghanistan Series