BAN vs AFG Match Prediction & Analysis
After New Zealand’s convincing 9-wicket win against the World Cup champions in the opening match of the ICC World Cup 2023, the next clash features the 8th-ranked Bangladesh and the 9th-ranked Afghanistan. This showdown takes place on October 7th at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharmashala, starting at 10:30 am.
Afghanistan started their World Cup preparations on the right foot, beating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets with 23 balls to spare. Meanwhile, Bangladesh had a mixed start, winning their first warm-up game against Sri Lanka by 7 wickets, but losing to England by 4 wickets in the second match.
Unfortunately, Bangladesh faced a setback as their captain Shakib sustained a foot injury during a practice session. However, he is expected to play against Afghanistan. Afghanistan, on the other hand, brought back Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai into their World Cup squad after they missed the Asia Cup.
These two teams clashed recently in the Asia Cup at Lahore, where Bangladesh posted a formidable total of 334 runs with contributions from Mehidy Hasan Miraz (112) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (104). Bangladesh’s pace attack then took 8 wickets to secure an 89-run victory. Notably, this match had the highest combined score (579 runs) for both teams in ODIs.
In head-to-head ODIs, Bangladesh has won 9 out of 15 encounters against Afghanistan. However, in World Cup matches, both teams have one victory each.
Team Previews:
Bangladesh Preview
Bangladesh is having a challenging season, winning only 8 out of their last 20 games, with 7 losses in their last 10 matches. Playing without Tamim Iqbal will be a test for skipper Shakib al Hasan, with Tanzid Hasan likely to open alongside Litton Das. Hasan had scores of 84 and 45 in the warm-up games. Litton Das has an impressive record against Afghanistan, with 378 runs in 9 games, including a century and two half-centuries. The partnership of Das and Mushfiqur Rahim has yielded 282 runs against Afghanistan in 3 games, averaging 94.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz is set to bat at number three, in excellent form with the bat. After his century against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup, Miraz scored half-centuries in both warm-up games as a stand-in skipper. The spotlight will be on Shakib, playing his last World Cup. In 29 World Cup games, Shakib has accumulated 1146 runs and taken 34 wickets. Against Afghanistan, he is Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker with 27 wickets in 14 games.
Shoriful Islam, who won the U19 World Cup alongside Tanzid Hasan, will lead the bowling attack along with Taskin Ahmed. Islam has taken 13 wickets in Bangladesh’s last 6 games at an economy rate of 4.18. Taskin has 11 wickets in his last 5 matches, and the duo previously took 7 wickets against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup.
Key Players for Bangladesh: Shakib al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed.
Bangladesh Predicted Playing XI:
Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shakib Al Hasan (C), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam.
Afghanistan Preview
Afghanistan has had a challenging year, with 8 losses in 11 games, including 6 consecutive defeats. However, their victory over Sri Lanka in the warm-up game likely boosted their confidence. Rahmanullah Gurbaz will open the innings alongside Ibrahim Zadran. Gurbaz impressed with a 119-run knock in just 92 balls against Sri Lanka. Both Gurbaz and Zadran are the only Afghan batsmen to have scored centuries this year. Gurbaz has amassed 376 runs in 11 games at an average of 34.18, while Zadran is Afghanistan’s top run-scorer in 2023 with 478 runs at an impressive average of 47.80.
Rahmat Shah and Najibullah Zadran are expected to follow as numbers three and four. Shah showcased his skills with a 93-run innings against Sri Lanka, partnering with Gurbaz for a 212-run second-wicket stand. Mohammad Nabi, in his last World Cup appearance, made an impact by taking 4 wickets in the warm-up game. He has been consistent this year with 10 wickets in 11 games and an excellent economy rate.
Afghanistan’s spin sensation Rashid Khan has been going through a challenging phase, with only 9 wickets in his last 8 ODIs. However, he remains a threat, especially against Bangladesh, where he has claimed 19 wickets in 12 games at an economy rate of 3.91. Fazalhaq Farooqi is another bowler to watch out for, having picked up 15 wickets in 11 games this year, though his economy rate is a concern.
Key Players for Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Afghanistan Predicted Playing XI:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi.”
Weather and Pitch Report
Expect sunny weather during the match, with temperatures ranging from 19 to 25 degrees Celsius. A gentle westward breeze will be blowing at speeds of 9-11 km/h. The Dharamshala pitch has a historical reputation for favoring fast bowlers, especially in the early hours of the game. It features a good grass covering, and the surface tends to be firm, providing ample bounce and carry to the wicketkeeper.Bowlers who can make the ball move off the seam and capitalize on the bounce often find success here. However, as the match progresses, the pitch tends to flatten out, becoming more conducive to batting.
Venue Details
The third ODI of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 is set to take place at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharmashala on October 7th, starting at 10:30 am. This venue has a seating capacity of 23,000 spectators and has hosted 1 Test match, 4 ODIs, and 11 T20Is in the past. Notably, in 2014, India achieved the highest total (330) on this ground against the West Indies, while they also have the record for the lowest total (112) on the same pitch.
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