Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Match Preview, 3rd ODI

Team Afghanistan (AFG) and Bangladesh (BAN) are all set to continue their ongoing ODI series by facing off in the series decider aka third ODI. Both sides will lock horns at the iconic venue, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, on Monday, November 11. The first ODI of the series saw Afghanistan register a 92-run win.

But the visitors came back strong in the second match of the three-match fixture and pulled off an emphatic 68-run victory. After the first two games, the series now hangs in balance at 1-1, and both teams will be pulling their socks up to get the desired results.

For the first ODI, both Afghanistan and Bangladesh faced off in Sharjah as well on November 6. The game started with Afghanistan coming in to bat first and after a brilliant knock by Hashmatullah Shahidi and Mohammad Nabi, where they scored 52 and 84 runs, respectively, the hosts posted a total of 235 runs in the first innings of the game. 

Defending the target, the Afghan bowlers put instant pressure and put breaks in the opposition's chase. AM Ghazanfar picked up six wickets in the second innings, with Rashid Khan bagging two wickets and Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai taking one wicket, apiece. Afghanistan bundled out Bangladesh for 143 runs and registered a 92-run win in the first game. 

In the second ODI, which was played at the same venue, the Bengal Tigers opted to bat first after winning the toss. With the help of captain Najmul Hossain Shanto's 76-run knock, along with valuable contributions from Soumya Sarkar, Jaker Ali, and Nasum Ahmed, the side propelled to 252 in their allotted 50 overs.

In reply, Afghanistan suffered a batting collapse after a solid start from Sediqullah Atal (39) and Rahmat Shah (52).  With the middle order not firing, the Afghan side never looked in the chase as the game progressed and eventually lost the game by 68 runs. For Bangladesh, Nasum plucked three wickets, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mustafizur Rahman picking two wickets, respectively. 

Match Details

Pitch Report

The track at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium is quite balanced, with assistance to both the batters and the bowlers, the spinners could make an impact in the early stages of the game, and the batters come into play in the latter stages of the game. Opting to bat first after winning the toss could be a wise decision.

Head-to-Head Record

AFG vs BAN Playing XIs

Afghanistan

Afghanistan will be looking to field a similar lineup to that of the second ODI, Sediqullah Atal who has been performing well in the series will once again walk alongside Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top of the order. Furthermore, the team lost the last match but will be hungry to do well in the coming game and win the series.

Also Check: Most Runs in AFG vs BAN 2024

Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, Allah Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh batters had a phenomenal day with the willow in their hand in the last match and will look to continue their onslaught. With the series hanging in balance, the Bengal Tigers will look to field their best possible team to clinch the series.

Also Check: Most Wickets in AFG vs BAN 2024

Playing XI: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.