ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Match 3 Preview: Bangladesh vs. Afghanistan: Chance For Bangladesh, Afghanistan To Produce One Breakout Performance

Bangladesh will have their work cut out for them when they square up against Afghanistan in their World Cup opener on Saturday. Both sides are looking for that one breakthrough season after years of experience in the top division. Their build-up has been hampered by internal strife.

Bangladesh has always been a competitive team in the white ball forms, but now that its captain Shakib al Hasan and opening batsman Tamim Iqbal are squaring off, the squad will need to be more than simply competitive.

A verbal spat between the two celebrities erupted after Tamim’s expulsion from the World Cup squad, just days before the tournament’s commencement.

The decision to exclude Tamim off the 15-person lineup was made due to the opener’s back issue, but Shakib later claimed that Tamim refused to bat at No. 3 in their first World Cup game against Afghanistan.

The renowned all-rounder further continued by calling Tamim “childish” and asserting that he isn’t a team player, infuriating the seasoned opener.

The squad, which has had an erratic year so far in ODIs, losing nine matches while winning eight, with three having no outcomes, is not helped by injuries to several of its stars.

However, Bangladesh’s team is not lacking in talent or experience; players like Shakib, pacer Mustafizur Rahman, wicketkeeper batters Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das, and all-rounder Mahmudullah have the knowledge and expertise necessary to alter the course of a game under pressure.

Additionally, there are younger players like Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Towhid Hridoy who provide some vitality and balance to the team, which is crucial in a competition of this stature. Najmul Shanto, who scored the most runs for them this season with 698, is another example.

However, their true strength is in their spin bowling corps, which consists of Shakib, Mehidy Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, and Nasum Ahmed. These bowlers have the ability to ambush opponents on beneficial wickets, like those found in India.

Taskin, Shoriful, and Hasan Mahmud are three dangerous players in their fast-bowling squad, which is commanded by seasoned player Mustafizur. These players can bowl at a quick tempo.

But now that Tamim is out of the picture, Bangladesh would benefit from finding a second opener as soon as possible who can serve as the ideal counterbalance to Litton Das. Since becoming a full member of the ICC in 2017, Afghanistan’s cricketing capabilities have improved.

They now need a standout performance in a major competition to highlight their development, even if their World Cup record is far from that with just one win in 15 games, which came against Scotland.

Afghanistan would do well to draw motivation from their World Cup performances against Pakistan and India, when they almost shocked the two powerhouses before failing to win the game.

Hashmatullah Shahidi is the leader of Afghanistan, which has a strong spin department consisting of veterans Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Noor Ahmad.

The Afghans will also look on former skipper Nabi, who has played in 147 ODIs, to show off his all-around abilities, while Mujeeb, 22, is anticipated to handle the new ball.

Although Afghanistan has a strong batting lineup, they will need to be more reliable than in the past.

Teams from Bangladesh include Shakib Al Hasan (c), Litton Kumer Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (vc), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, and Shoriful Islam.

Afghanistan: Hashmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, and Naveen ul Haq.

The game begins at 10.30 am.