The action will continue in the Asia Cup 2023 as Bangladesh take on Afghanistan in Match 4 of the tournament on Sunday, September 03 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Bangladesh got their campaign off to a forgettable start as they lost their opening fixture against Sri Lanka by five wickets.
After opting to bat first, Bangladesh were bundled out for 164 with Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scoring with his knock of 89 (122). Apart from him, no other batter could score above 20. With the ball, captain Shakib Al Hasan starred for his team as he bowled a spell of 2/29 in ten overs.
On the other hand, Afghanistan are coming into the tournament having lost their previous series against Pakistan by 0-3. However, they managed to beat Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series by 2-1 at their home earlier this year and will be really confident heading into this game.
The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side will be eager to get their campaign off to a rollicking start by beating Bangladesh and progressing to the Super 4 stage of the tournament. On the other hand, Bangladesh have their back against the wall and are in desperate search for a win to stay alive in the tournament.
Pitch and Conditions:
The pitch at the Gaddafi Stadium has been a high-scoring one in recent times with 300+ totals being achieved thrice in the last six innings played at the venue. Teams chasing have won three out of the last five completed games at the venue. However, the captain winning the toss is likely to bat first and make full use of the batting conditions.
Probable Playing XI For BAN vs AFG:
Bangladesh
Bangladesh fielded their strongest XI in the first game, however, their batters let them down by not putting up a decent score on the board. They desperately need their senior players such as captain Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim to take more responsibility with the bat. With their backs against the wall, Bangladesh might be reluctant to test out their bench strength and are likely to field the same XI in the second game as well.
Probable Playing XI: Mohammad Naim, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
Afghanistan
Afghanistan recently stunned Bangladesh in their own den beating them 2-1 in a three-match ODI series. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the leading run-scorer (173 runs) of the series while Ibrahim Zadran took the second spot. In the bowling department, Fazalhaq Farooqui, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Rashid Khan have been in phenomenal form and will be expected to replicate their magic in the field.
Probable Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Gulbadin Naib, Riaz Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman
BAN vs AFG Head-to-head:
Played – 14, Bangladesh – 8, Afghanistan- 6
BAN vs AFG Broadcast and Live Streaming Details:
Match Timings: 3:00 PM IST
Live Broadcast: Star Sports Network
Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar App and website
BAN vs AFG Prediction
The match is expected to be a closely fought contest where Afghanistan might just get the better of Bangladesh by a slight margin.
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