Bangladesh were unable to sweep Afghanistan in the one-day international series after losing the third match. The hosts will have another chance to whitewash the visitors when both teams meet for the second T20I on March 5 at SBNCS, Mirpur. Bangladesh must win the second match as the twenty20 series has only two games. On the other hand, Afghanistan have no choice but to win the match in order to level the BAN vs AFG T20I series in 2022. The second T20I match preview is discussed in this article. Second Match Preview of Bangladesh-Afghanistan T20I Series 2022 Bangladesh team management would be anticipating the same level of performance from their players as they did in the previous encounter. Oppositely, Afghanistan will be hoping that their top-order shines in this do-or-die contest. The match will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday (Bangladesh Standard Time) at SBNCS, Mirpur. Bangladesh Litton Das has been in excellent form in all formats since the beginning of the year, which should please the selectors. Litton is Bangladesh's best grammatical batter, and his consistency with the bat is crucial to the team's success. Read Legendary Australia cricketer Shane Warne dies at 52 Bangladesh's opening worries have yet to be fixed, which is a major concern. Debutant Munim Shahriar didn't last long, and Mohammad Naim failed once more with the bat in the opening match of the series. Mushfiqur Rahim is expected to return to the playing XI, and Naim might be sidelined to make room for the veteran. Bangladesh's bowlers were outstanding in the opening encounter. Nasum Ahmed single-handedly demolished Afghanistan's top order and he will certainly be a major concern for the visiting team. Shakib completed his 400th limited-overs wicket in the previous encounter, and Shoriful excelled with his accuracy. This bowling unit is more than capable of upsetting Afghanistan's batting order.  Predicted playing XI Top Order: Litton Das, Munim Shahriar, Shakib Al Hasan, Middle-Orders: Mushfiqur Rahim (wicket-keeper), Mahmudullah Riyad (captain), Yasir Ali, Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Lower-Order: Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed. Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Bangladesh Seek Resurgence in Twenty20 Format Afghanistan The overall performance of the Afghanistan team was concerning in the opening encounter. They didn't have their best outing in the series-opening match. The bowling unit performed well, but the batters were underwhelming.    This Afghan top order is inexperienced, and they will require more time to get foreign expertise. However, as we witnessed in the first match, this is a significant advantage for Bangladesh. The Afghanistan team needs a strong start in the match for a competitive total. The top order in this match must tick in order for this to happen. Rashid Khan, Mujeeb, and Nabi need to step up in the bowling unit to put greater pressure on the Bangladesh batters. Afghanistan must restrict Bangladesh in between 130 to 140 for creating a better opportunity to win the match.   Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Players to Watch Predicted Playing XI  Top Order: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wicket-Keeper), Hazratullah Zazai, Darwish Rasooli, Middle Orders: Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Lower Order: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Qais Ahmed        Pitch Report and Weather Saturday will be bright, with no rain in the forecast. The first match pitch was a little grassy, which was not ideal for Afghanistan spinners. Bangladesh had dominated for the majority part of the game on that surface. Therefore, the second match is anticipated to be played on the same surface. Bottom Line Afghanistan team is expected to make a strong recovery in the second match in order to even the series. They are a tough T20 side, and overcoming them twice in a row will be difficult for Bangladesh. On the contrary, the Bangladeshi team may draw a lot of positives from their thrashing victory in the series opener. The Mahmudullah-led team will seek to capitalize on a new-look Afghanistan team in order to clinch a clean sweep against them for the first time. Overall, the second match of the BAN vs AFG T20I series 2022 is predicted to be enthralling.    Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim to Leapfrog Afghanistan in ICC Rankings

The first T20I match between Bangladesh and Afghanistan will begin at 3 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time) on Thursday. With only a few hours until the first match of the series, both sides are making the finishing touches on their preparations. Both Afghanistan and Bangladesh will try to outsmart their opponents in terms of strategy. Therefore, who will be playing in the match is important in terms of strategy. Let's have a look at the predicted Bangladesh playing XI for the first T20I of the BAN vs AFG Series 2022.    First T20I of BAN vs AFG Series 2022: Probable Bangladesh Playing XI The Bangladesh team management should make a final decision on whether or not to give opener Munim Shahriar his international debut. If he plays, Yasir Ali and Mohammad Naim may not be included in the playing XI for the first match. However, Mushfiqur's fitness is a source of concern. If he is unable to play, Yasir and Naim can partake in the series-opening match. Captain Mahmudullah may choose Mahedi Hasan over Nasum Ahmed in the bowling department. Bangladesh may also field three pacers in this match. Here is Bangladesh's expected lineup for the series-opening match against Afghanistan. Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Bangladesh Seek Resurgence in Twenty20 Format Openers: (Liton Das, Munim Shahriar) If Mushfiqur Rahim does not play, Liton Kumar Das is almost certain to open Bangladesh's batting in the first match. Munim Shahriar, who is expected to make his national team debut, might be his opening partner. Munim had a standout performance for Fortune Barishal in the BPL 2022, and all eyes are on him to maintain his fine form with the bat for the national team as well. If Munim does not make the playing XI, Mohammad Naim may be added. In that case, Naim and Liton will start the innings. According to sources, Munim, Naim, and Liton all may play in the match if Yasir Ali is unable to make the cut in the playing XI. Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Players to Watch Number Three Position (Shakib Al Hasan) Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's ace all-rounder, will bat at number three. However, if Liton, Munim, and Naim are picked in the playing XI, he might come in at number four. Middle Order: (Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Yasir Ali) Mushfiqur Rahim's fitness is questionable due to a minor injury. Wicket-keeper, Nurul Hasan has been named as Mushfiqur's backup. However, Nurul may not be selected for the first match. Mushfiqur, Mahmudullah, and Yasir will most likely bat in the middle order for Bangladesh in this match. Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim to Leapfrog Afghanistan in ICC Rankings Lower Middle Order: (Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan) The participation of Afif Hossain and Mahedi Hasan in the opening match is almost certain. Afif's job would be to accelerate the run rates in the death overs. On the other hand, Captain Riyad favours Mahedi over Nasum as the second spinner for the playing XI. Lower-Order: (Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam) Bangladesh are expected to use three front-line pacers in the opening encounter against Afghanistan. If that happens, Shoriful, Taskin, and cutter-master Mustafizur are the obvious three choices.   Read ICC Test Championship: SA maintain fourth position after series draw against NZ Aftermath If Munim Shahriar makes his T20 debut for Bangladesh, all eyes will be on him. Besides, Naim, Yasir, and Afif must seize the opportunity to cement their spots on the Bangladesh team. Mahedi Hasan did not live up to his full potential in the BPL 2022. He must step up when the captain expects him to deliver. Mustafiz, Taskin, and Shoriful must be accurate with their bowling to keep the run flow of Afghanistan's innings in control. However, senior players will have to shoulder most of the responsibility in order to win the first T20I of the BAN vs AFG series 2022.  Read BAN vs AFG 2022: Notable T20I records between Bangladesh vs Afghanistan

The Bangladesh twenty20 team will be seeking to make a strong comeback during the bilateral series against Afghanistan after a dismal T20 World Cup 2021 and Pakistan series. Bangladesh have lost their previous eight matches and haven't played a T20I series since November of last year. Except for Tamim Iqbal, senior players have returned to the T20I setup, while Afghanistan have dropped some of its regular T20 players for the series. The first match preview of the BAN vs AFG T20I series 2022 is discussed in this article. First Match Preview of BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022 Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah Riyad wants a brave effort from his team now that experienced players have returned to the squad. Oppositely, Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi will rely primarily on his star players in the absence of some experienced members. The match will begin at 3 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time) on Thursday. Bangladesh Bangladesh's last two T20 series were a complete disaster that no one wants to remember. The T20 team needs a fresh start with some strong performances from its players. The most crucial thing is that they require consistent performances from its top order. Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Players to Watch The openers have struggled to make an impression on an international stage. Mohammad Naim has tried to fill Tamim's role but his strike rotation has been poor and ineffective on most occasions. Munim Shahriar received his first call-up, he had a good season in the BPL 2022. Munim's performance wowed everyone and he may make his international debut in the first match. Yasir Ali and Afif Hossain will need to prove that they are improving as players in the middle order, especially while facing Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Mustafiz's cutter, Taskin's pace, and Nasum's spin should be excellent against Afghanistan batters. Besides, senior members will have to deal with issues sensibly when necessary. Read BAN vs AFG 2022: Notable T20I records between Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Predicted playing XI Top Order: Liton Das, Munim Shahriar, Shakib Al Hasan;  Middle-Orders: Mushfiqur Rahim (wicket-keeper), Mahmudullah Riyad (captain), Yasir Ali, Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan; Lower-Order: Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed.  Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim to Leapfrog Afghanistan in ICC Rankings Afghanistan Afghanistan's main concern would be the absence of several of its experienced players, as well as the performance of the newcomers against a difficult Bangladeshi team. Captain Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, and Najibullah Zadran will be responsible for the bulk of the responsibilities. Afghanistan's bowling unit is quite strong, and there is little doubt that their bowling is among the best in the game's shortest format. That's why Afghanistan will feel more at ease defending against Bangladesh than chasing.   Fazalhaq Farooqi has been a revolution for Afghanistan since the Bangladesh tour. He will be in charge of the Afghan pace attack. Besides, Mujeeb, Nabi, and Rashid will cause a lot of problems for Bangladesh batters. Read ICC Test Championship: SA maintain fourth position after series draw against NZ Afghanistan require a strong start from the openers in the batting order, particularly from Hazratullah Zazai. Najibullah and Nabi in the middle order will have to take the team to victory. Predicted Playing XI         Top Order: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wicket-Keeper), Hazratullah Zazai, Darwish Rasooli, Middle Orders: Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Lower Order: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi.   Read ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022: Full Fixtures, Dates, Venues Pitch Report and Weather  According to forecasts on Thursday, the match will be played on a sunny day, ideal for a T20 encounter. SBNCS in Mirpur pitches assist spinners, and wickets are usually kept the same for T20 matches. The BPL 2022 later phases saw some high-scoring encounters. Therefore, the series may feature batting-friendly pitches. Bottom Line Winning the ODI series against Afghanistan was expected from the Bangladesh team and they deservedly won the contest by a 2-1 margin. However, Afghanistan have always been a fantastic twenty20 side and Bangladesh will find it difficult to win this T20I series even without some experienced Afghan players. Bangladesh campaign expects good performance from the team after the comeback of seasoned cricketers such as Shakib and Mushfiqur. The hosts can win the BAN vs AFG T20I series 2022 by winning both matches if they map out a proper plan to limit their opponents. Read BAN vs AFG ODI Series 2022: Bangladesh Can Reach Sixth Position in ICC ODI Rankings

The T20I series between Bangladesh and Afghanistan is predicted to be enthralling given that the visitors have a better record against the hosts in the Twenty20 format. Both sides will be keen to win the series in order to show their capabilities to the rest of the cricket world. Therefore, big names of either side will be ready to show their true potential during the 2-match series. Take a look at the five players who are expected to perform well in the BAN vs AFG T20I series 2022. Five Important Players in BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022 Both the Bangladesh and Afghanistan squads have a few genuine world-class T20 players. Five key players who might have a significant impact on the series are discussed in this article. Let's have a glance at their international T20 career statistics. Mustafizur Rahman T20I Stats: M: 61 | Wkts: 86 | BBI: 5/22 | Ave: 19.51 | Econ: 7.63 | 5W: 1 Mustafizur Rahman's bowling is ideal for Bangladesh conditions. His main weapon, a lethal and deceptive off-cutter delivery, works well in Mirpur pitches, where the BAN vs AFG T20I series will be staged. He has the ability to check the run flow and make important breakthroughs when required. Therefore, left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman will be one of the most crucial players in the series. Read BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022: Bangladesh Aim to Leapfrog Afghanistan in ICC Rankings Mujeeb Ur Rahman T20I Stats: M: 22 | Wkts: 32 | BBI: 5/20 | Ave: 15.87 | Econ: 6.04 | 5W: 1 A highly talented Afghanistan off-spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman has established himself as one of the most sought-after spinners in the T20 format. The tall spinner is a skilled bowler who uses tight lines and lengths to put pressure on the opposition batters. He has become a household name in twenty20 franchise competitions all over the world because of his wicket-taking ability. Mujeeb's spell will be key for Afghanistan during the series. Rashid Khan T20I Stats: M: 56 | Wkts: 103 | BBI: 5/3 | Ave: 12.73 | Econ: 6.20 | 5W: 2 The presence of Rashid Khan on a squad adds to concern on the opposition side, as the dynamic leg-spinner knows how to utterly dismantle batting lineups. Rashid Khan's leg spin is more effective in the shortest format of the game. Because batters have fewer opportunities to adapt with his bowling in limited-overs cricket. As a result, batters have to take risks against Rashid in order to increase the run rates, allowing Rashid to capture wickets. The Afghan maestro will surely play a pivotal role in the series. Read ICC Test Championship: SA maintain fourth position after series draw against NZ Mohammad Nabi T20I Stats: M: 86 | Runs: 1523 | HS: 89 | SR: 143.27 | 50s: 4 | Wkts: 73 | BBI: 4/10 | Ave: 27.95 | Econ: 7.24 | 4W: 3 The Afghanistan team's most experienced player is Mohammad Nabi. He is a true breakthrough bowler as well as a highly aggressive batter in the batting order. Nabi is the captain of the Afghanistan team, which comes with additional responsibilities. Overall, Nabi's cricketing intellect will be vital for the visiting side throughout the series. Shakib Al Hasan T20I Stats: M: 94 | Runs: 1,894 | HS: 84 | SR: 120.48 | 50s: 9 | Wkts: 117 | BBI: 5/20 | Ave: 19.79 | Econ: 6.66 | 5W: 1   The best all-rounder in the world, Shakib Al Hasan did not play in the Pakistan series in November. Bangladesh's performance in the series was a complete letdown without him. Therefore, Shakib's return to the squad will boost the confidence among the players during the series. Shakib will be crucial for Bangladesh to win this bilateral T20I series, especially against a tough Afghanistan team. Read BAN vs AFG 2022: Notable T20I records between Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Aftermath The five players named above are some of the well-known names in T20 cricket around the world. They have the capacity to play better under pressure and can win games for their respective teams on their own. Therefore, both teams will be eagerly anticipating their performances in the BAN vs AFG T20I series in 2022. Their on-field performances will surely captivate the stadium crowds, as BCB has chosen to sell out the entire Mirpur Stadium seating capacity tickets for the series. 

Bangladesh are ranked ninth in the ICC T20I rankings at the end of February 2022. They have a chance to rise up to eighth place in the rankings during the forthcoming home series against Afghanistan. The performance of the Bangladesh team in the 2-1 series triumph against Afghanistan was noteworthy. However, they will face significant resistance in the shortest version of the game, as Afghanistan is a formidable T20 team. Let's look at the possible rankings scenario of the Bangladesh team in the BAN vs AFG T20I series 2022. Bangladesh’s ICC Rankings Scenario at the end of BAN vs AFG T20I Series 2022 According to the most recent update on ICC rankings, Bangladesh are just one rating point behind Afghanistan. The Afghan side has 3,951 points after 17 games, while Bangladesh have 8,529 points after 37 games. Bangladesh will jump Afghanistan and move up to the ninth position in the standings if they win the forthcoming series 2-0. Bangladesh will get 233 rating points if they sweep Afghanistan in the T20I series. As a result, they will climb one place in the T20I standings. On the other hand, Afghanistan will drop to ninth place. Read: BAN vs AFG 2022: Notable T20I records between Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Bangladesh and Afghanistan will stay in their current ICC T20I rankings if the series finishes in a 1-1 draw. Besides, Afghanistan will move up to seventh place in the standings if they win the series 2-0 over Bangladesh. In such a case, West Indies will drop to ninth place, while Afghanistan's rating will improve to 237. On the other hand, Sri Lanka will benefit if any team wins the series by a 2-0 margin. If this happens, Sri Lanka will rise to ninth place, while the losing team would drop to tenth. T20I ranking scenarios for major cricket nations India climbed to the top of the ICC T20I rankings after a 3-0 clean sweep of Sri Lanka on February 27. On the other hand, Sri Lanka dropped to tenth place. India topped the ICC Twenty20 International standings with 270 rating points at the end of February. England are in second place with 269 rating points, followed by Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa. Read: Gurbaz guides Afghanistan to easy win The defending T20 World Cup champion, Australia are in sixth place with 249 rating points. They will have the opportunity to enhance their standings in the forthcoming Pakistan series. In addition, two-time T20 World Cup champions West Indies are ranked seventh, Afghanistan are eighth, Bangladesh are ninth, and Sri Lanka are tenth in the current ICC T20I rankings. ICC T20I Team Rankings (as of February 28, 2022) India (270 rating points), England (269 rating points), Pakistan (266 rating points), New Zealand (255 rating points), South Africa (253 rating points), Australia (249 rating points), West Indies (235 rating points), Afghanistan (232 rating points), Bangladesh (231 rating points), Sri Lanka (230 rating points) Read: ICC Test Championship: SA maintain fourth position after series draw against NZ Bottom Line  Bangladesh's main goal against Afghanistan would be to win both matches and clinch the series. Bangladesh’s ICC Twenty20 International rankings will rise If they win the series 2-0. Therefore, they will have to take both games of the BAN vs AFG T20I series 2022 seriously. In this regard, the Mahmudullah Riyad-led team should be more ardent in its efforts to whitewash Afghanistan. The matches will take place at the SBNCS in Mirpur on March 3 and 5. The bouts will begin at 3 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).