On Wednesday, July 5, Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram will witness the clash between Bangladesh and Afghanistan as they start their three-match ODI series. In their recent limited-overs series, the two teams experienced contrasting results. Afghanistan faced a 1-2 defeat against Sri Lanka, while Bangladesh comfortably achieved a 2-0 victory against Ireland on their home ground. However, both teams will surely try to win the series. Here’s what to expect from BAN vs AFG 1st ODI.
Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Series 2023: 1st ODI Preview
Tamim Iqbal, who has been absent from cricket due to recent injuries, will lead the Bangladesh team. Unfortunately, his batting form has been less than impressive. However, the Tigers have received a boost with the return of Shakib Al Hasan, who missed the last Test due to a finger injury.
With a positive momentum, Bangladesh is set to enter the upcoming series against Afghanistan. Nevertheless, Bangladesh acknowledges the immense talent and versatility of Afghanistan's squad and will not underestimate their opponents. Historically, the pitch at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium has provided an advantage for spinners, often being slow in nature.
The return of Shakib and Rashid Khan will surely help both teams to give a tough fight. Rashid, the leg-spinner, has returned to white-ball cricket, and so is the tone of confidence in the Afghan team. Rashid was injured before the series against Sri Lanka last month. That is why he could not play the first two ODIs. The Afghanistan team management did not want to take the risk of playing him in the Mirpur Test after a few days, even though he returned for the last match.
Read more: Tamim determined to play despite fitness concerns in Afghanistan Series Opener
On the Afghan side, Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead the team. Spinner Izharulhaq Naveed has received his maiden ODI call-up, although it is unlikely that he will make an appearance in the first ODI. Alongside Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ibrahim Zadran, and Mohammad Nabi are anticipated to play crucial roles for the Afghanistan team. Ibrahim Zadran showcased an outstanding performance in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Fazalhaq Farooqi, the left-arm pacer, has been causing difficulties for the Bangladesh batters, making him a crucial factor in the upcoming matches.
For Bangladesh, Afif Hossain Dhrubo has made a comeback to the national team and is eager to make a strong performance. Meanwhile, Najmul Hossain Shanto has successfully turned his career around in the past 12 months and was also a strong contender for the Player of the Month award.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz has shown remarkable growth as an all-rounder, and much will rely on his performance. The attention will also be on Bangladesh’s pace bowling attack, which has been exceptional in recent times.
Shakib Al Hasan, who was unable to participate in the one-off Test due to a finger injury, has now recovered and is ready to play in the ODI series. Mushfiqur Rahim will take up the role of the team’s permanent wicketkeeper.
Read more: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Head-to Head ODI Records So Far: Who is the Favourite?
Probable XI for Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal (c), Najmul Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Towhid Hirdoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Ebadot Hossain.
Probable XI for 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.
Key Players od BAN vs AFG 1st ODI Match 2023
Taskin Ahmed (Bangladesh)
Taskin Ahmed has successfully recovered from an injury and is ready to join the team again. He was selected for the Bangladesh Test team to play a single match against Afghanistan. Taskin showed his skills by taking four wickets in the second innings of the match.
As a result, he is expected to be the strongest and most intimidating bowler for Bangladesh. In his ODI career, Taskin has taken 78 wickets in the 57 matches he has played. Recently, he had a great performance in the last three ODIs, where he took a total of five wickets.
Read more: BAN vs AFG Series 2023: Bangladesh ODI Squad Analysis
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
Rashid Khan, who last played in an ODI series in November of the previous year, is now entering the upcoming series after a successful performance in the IPL. Although he took a break during the Sri Lanka ODI series and the one-off Test series, it is expected that he will continue his outstanding form and make a big impact.
Rashid’s performance against Bangladesh was brilliant. He has got 15 wickets in 9 matches so far in ODIs. Runs per over are just 3.85 runs! He made a big contribution with 3 wickets for 37 runs in Afghanistan’s only win in the series between these two teams last year.
As a 24-year-old spinner, Rashid always impresses with both his bowling and batting skills. In his career, he has played 87 ODI matches for Afghanistan and taken 163 wickets. In the last three ODIs alone, Rashid managed to take a total of eight wickets.
Who is the Favourite to Win?
In one-day internationals, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have faced each other 11 times. Bangladesh won seven of these matches, with four victories on their home ground and three on neutral venues. On the other hand, Afghanistan have won four matches against Bangladesh, with none of the wins being at home, and three were on away venues.
Read more: Najmul Hossain Shanto: A Rising Star in Bangladeshi Cricket
So, considering the previous record, Bangladesh have a great chance to win. Tigers have proven to be a difficult team to defeat in their home conditions. As a result, they will enter the match as favourites, although the Afghan team should not be underestimated and will likely put up a strong fight. In the first match, Afghanistan appear to have an advantage over Bangladesh due to their strong spinning department. Despite Bangladesh having more victories against Afghanistan in the past, the upcoming battle promises to be an exciting one.
Final Words
The BAN vs AFG ODI series is the continuation of the only test match played between these two teams last month. Bangladesh secured an emphatic victory over Afghanistan, winning by a massive margin of 546 runs at their home ground in Mirpur. Now is the time to see if Afghans can come back in BAN vs AFG 1st ODI.
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