The current one-day cricket series against Afghanistan is not going well for the Bangladesh cricket team. The first one-day match of the series was interrupted by rain. Bangladesh lost by 17 runs in this match by the Duckworth Lewis method. After that, even though the captain was changed, it was not possible to change the fate of the Tigers. Bangladesh lost again in the second match by 142 runs. Afghanistan and Bangladesh will play the last match of the 2023 BAN vs AFG series on July 11 in Chattogram.

Bangladesh vs Afghanistan 2nd ODI 2023 Preview

In the last decade, Bangladesh has played aggressive ODI cricket at home. The Tigers have only lost a series against England since June 2014. But this time, Bangladesh lost the series to Afghanistan. Afghans have won the series by keeping one match in hand in the ongoing ODI series in Chattogram. Now they want to whitewash Bangladesh.

In the second ODI match, the Tigers chose to field after winning the toss against Afghanistan in Chattogram on Saturday. Afghanistan’s two openers played outstanding innings and set a challenging target of 332 runs for Bangladesh. The Afghans also completely destroyed Bangladesh's batting order. With consecutive wickets falling, the Tigers reached a combined score of 189 runs. Ultimately, Afghanistan secured a convincing victory, winning by a margin of 142 runs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored a phenomenal century, was named the man of the match.

Ebadot Hossain is out of BAN vs AFG Series 2023

Ebadot was injured during the second ODI against Afghanistan. That knee injury knocked Ebadot Hossain out of the entire Afghanistan series. He is not in the squad for the third ODI in Chattogram as well as Sylhet’s three-match T20 series. The Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed the matter in a circular on Sunday.

Read more: Ebadot ruled out of remaining Afghan fixtures

However, according to Muzadded Alpha Sany, the physiotherapist of the Bangladesh team, the initial assessment of the player’s injury suggests that it is not severe. They anticipate that it will take approximately two weeks to fully recover. Ebadot will undergo rehabilitation during this period.

Bangladesh’s Predicted Playing XI for 3rd ODI

Litton Das (c), Mohammad Naim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman.

Bangladeshi Key Players from Previous Game of 2023 BAN vs AFG ODI Series

Afghanistan’s Predicted Playing XI for 3rd ODI

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Najibullah Zadran, Noor Ahmed, Azmatullah Omarzai.

Read more: Analysis of BAN vs AFG 2nd ODI 2023

Afghanistan’s Key Players from Previous Game of of 2023 BAN vs AFG ODI Series

Pitch Report

The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, Bangladesh, is renowned for its bowling-friendly pitch. Spin bowlers, in particular, find support from the pitch. In terms of ODI matches, the highest average score for the team batting first at this venue is recorded at 225 runs. Therefore, winning the toss on this field may prompt the team to choose bowling first. However, this tactic did not work in the last match. Afghanistan’s batting was extraordinary in the last match. In the last five games, the team chasing the target has emerged victorious in four instances. The batting conditions pose a challenge at the beginning of the game but tend to improve as the match progresses.

Predictions about the 2023 BAN vs AFG 3rd ODI Match

Hosts Bangladesh will be aiming for a victory in the third and final ODI of the three-match series against Afghanistan in order to save their pride. Their performance in the second ODI was dismal, suffering a crushing defeat, marking their largest loss against Afghanistan. Despite the off-field controversies surrounding the team, they must regroup and deliver an improved performance in this crucial match. On the other hand, Afghanistan will be determined to seal the series 3-0 and will be looking to dominate their opponents.

After winning the last two games, Afghanistan has maintained an edge over Bangladesh in recent encounters. The outstanding form of their opening batsmen adds to their team’s confidence. The Bangladeshi camp appears to be dealing with various issues, making it interesting to see if the hosts can overcome these challenges and prevent a whitewash. However, the Afghans surely have a competitive edge in this series, and their winning probability in the last match is very high. Still, we are expecting a close game.

Read more: Harmanpreet's Fifty Guides India to Easy Win Over Bangladesh

Final Words

From the beginning, Bangladesh has been considering the 2023 BAN vs AFG ODI series as preparation for the upcoming World Cup. But this outcome was not expected at all. In the last two matches, Bangladesh’s top order failed miserably. So, the Tigers will need to focus on the top order to get the expected outcome.