The first T20I match of the Afghanistan tour of Bangladesh will take place at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet on July 14. Afghanistan emerged as the winners of the recently concluded ODI series against Bangladesh, winning by a margin of 2-1.
They aim to replicate their success in the T20I series. On the other hand, Bangladesh seeks to change the outcome with the change in format and hopes for a strong start.
In their previous T20I encounter against Ireland, Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bat. However, they struggled throughout the match, losing wickets at regular intervals.
The only standout performer from their side was Shamim Hossain, who scored a half-century, enabling Bangladesh to reach a total of 124 runs.
Ireland, led by captain Paul Stirling’s impressive knock of 77 runs, comfortably chased down the target, losing only three wickets and winning the match with six overs to spare.
Afghanistan’s last T20I match was against Pakistan, where Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field. Pakistan lost an early wicket but adopted a cautious approach thereafter.
Their middle order contributed significantly, and despite Saim Ayub falling just one run short of a fifty, Pakistan managed to post a respectable total of 182 runs.
Afghanistan began decently but started losing wickets regularly after the dismissal of their opening batsman. Consequently, they were bowled out for 116 runs, resulting in a comprehensive 66-run victory for Pakistan.
Match Details:
Match: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I
Venue: Sylhet, Bangladesh
Date and Time: 14th July, 5:30 PM IST
Head To Head Records:
Total Matches Played – 9
Matches Won By Bangladesh – 3
Matches Won By Afghanistan- 6
Pitch Report:
The pitch at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium is bowler-friendly rather than favourable to batsmen. Both fast bowlers and spinners can be effective on this track, and they are expected to have a significant impact on the match.
Batsmen will need to exercise caution and take some time to adapt to the conditions before playing their shots with freedom. It would be advisable for teams to choose to chase, as the average score in the first innings is 92.
Match Prediction:
Afghanistan recently won the ODI series against Bangladesh, which could boost their confidence and momentum going into the T20I match. Afghanistan has a talented pool of players who have showcased their skills in various international competitions.
Their team composition, consisting of skilled batsmen, bowlers, and all-rounders, could give them an advantage.
Probable Playing XI:
Bangladesh: Mominul Haque, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Afif Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Rony Talukdar, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shakib Al Hasan (C), Liton Das (wk), Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ibrahim Zadran, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Amir Hamza, Zahir Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rashid Khan (C), Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Dream11 Prediction:
Litton Das, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mominul Hague, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Afif Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Rony Talukdar, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rashid Khan (C), Shakib Al Hasan (VC).
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