Opportunities for Bangladesh, Afghanistan in dead rubber

Overview

Bangladesh v Afghanistan
Asia Cup 2018, Group B
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Thursday, 20 September, 3.30pm local time, 11.30am GMT

With Sri Lanka knocked out, and the schedule for the Super Fours already in place, there is no consequence to how the group finishes.

That offers the sides a chance to rest their key players, and Bangladesh especially are expected to make use of that, given they have to finish the match, pack their bags, and make the trip to Dubai for the game against India on Friday.

Afghanistan, comparatively, have some leeway, as their match against Pakistan on Friday is to be played in Abu Dhabi. They will therefore look to address their concerns with the middle order, which failed to properly build on the foundations laid by Mohammad Shahzad, Ihsanullah and Rahman Shah against Sri Lanka.

From 107/1 in the 25th over, they managed to post just 249. That, however, proved more than sufficient given the form of their spinners – Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman – but if their middle order can provide a bit more solidity, Afghanistan will have a great chance to make a tilt at the trophy.

To that end, the eyes will be on Asghar Afghan, the captain, Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi, all of whom struggled against Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, had a wobbly performance with the bat themselves. They were reduced to 1/2, and if it wasn’t for a century from Mushfiqur Rahim and a gritty half-century from Mohammad Mithun, they might not have managed the 261 they did. However, their bowlers were all over Sri Lanka as well, and both sides will expect tougher challenges in their outing on Thursday.

For Bangladesh, it also represents a chance to give the likes of Ariful Haque, Abu Hider and Nazmul Islam, while giving much-needed rest to the likes of Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, both of whom are carrying injuries. Importantly, it's a chance at trying out someone new at the top of the order, with Tamim Iqbal ruled out of the tournament because of the fractured wrist.

It might be a dead rubber, and in that is an opportunity to finetune their plans.

Key players
Asghar Afghan (Afghanistan): The captain’s importance to the team is undoubted, but his runs have dried up. He struggled in Ireland – his highest score on tour was 39 in the second ODI – and he managed just 1 against Sri Lanka in the team’s last outing. If Afghanistan have hopes of winning this tournament, their batsmen need to step up, their captain first and foremost.

Mohammad Mithun (Bangladesh): The middle-order batsman, playing just his fourth ODI – against Sri Lanka on Saturday – showed composure, for the most part, to arrest a slide and partner Rahim in a crucial 131-run stand. He scored an impressive 68-ball 63 before falling, but now that he’s caught the eye, more of the same is expected.

Conditions
Hot and dry as always. The temperatures will touch a high of 39°C, and the drier it gets, the better it is for the spinners.

Squad
Afghanistan: Asghar Afghan (c), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Ihsanullah Janat, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Hashmat Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Najibullah Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Aftab Alam, Samiullah Shinwari, Munir Ahmad Kakar (wk), Sayed Ahmad Sherzad, Sharafudin Ashraf, Yamin Ahmadzai

Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Ariful Haque, Mominul Haque, Abu Hider, Rubel Hossain, Tamim Iqbal, Nazmul Islam, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Nazmul Hossain