Preview: Asia Cup 2018 Group B

Teams and fixturesAfghanistan (World No.10)
Bangladesh (World No.7)
Sri Lanka (World No.8)

15 September: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka in Dubai
17 September: Afghanistan v Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi
20 September: Afghanistan v Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi

History in the tournament

Sri Lanka are the team in the group with the most pedigree in the competition, having previously won the tournament five times – India are the only team to have won more. Their most recent victory came in 2014, the last time the competition took place in the 50-over format. They have won 35 matches in the Asia Cup, three more than anyone else.

In the T20 version of the tournament in 2016, Bangladesh, the host nation, were runners-up for the second time after doing so in 2012, also on home soil. They have never won the competition, but go into Group B as the highest ranked side.

Afghanistan, who played in their first Test match earlier this year, will be appearing in the competition for only the second time in their history. In 2014, despite not advancing through the group stage, they did pick up their maiden Asia Cup victory, beating Bangladesh by 32 runs.

Form guide (last 10 ODIs – oldest to newest)

**Afghanistan:**L-L-L-W-W-W-W-W-L-W

**Bangladesh:**L-L-W-W-W-L-L-W-L-W

Sri Lanka: L-L-W-W-W-L-L-L-W-W

Strengths and weaknesses

**Aghanistan:**Afghanistan's rise over of the last decade has been a remarkable and well-documented one. That they are treated so seriously by opponents now is a testament to their improvement as a team. They boast a genuine international superstar in Rashid Khan, while others in the squad such as Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi have Indian Premier League experience. While their spin bowling line-up is a frightening prospect for batsmen on United Arab Emirates pitches that should take turn, their batting often lets them down. Their last three losses have all come when their batsmen have failed score 200 and it so nearly proved to be their downfall at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier earlier this year.

**Bangladesh:**Like Afghanistan, Bangladesh are a team who have made great strides in recent years. Tamim Iqbal comes into the tournament with a good recent ODI record, having scored two centuries in the recent bi-lateral series with the Windies. With him at the top of the order, they have the capacity to make rapid starts to their innings that could hurt the opposition. After bursting onto the scene three years ago, Mustafizur Rahman is a serious threat with his array of cutters with the ball but has suffered injury problems of late. Bangladesh will hope Shakib Al Hasan can regain full fitness by the start of the series as missing his all-round ability will create a major hole in the team.

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka performed admirably to win the last two ODIs in their recent series against South Africa after finding themselves three-nil down. As always with Sri Lanka they have a dangerous spin bowling attack. Akila Dananjaya's 6/29 in the last match of the series showed his quality, while they'll be hoping for big runs from the likes of Upul Tharanga and Kusal Mendis at the the top order. Dinesh Chandimal will need replacing though after he was recently ruled out of the tournament through injury.

Stars to watch

Afghanistan – Rashid Khan: One of the most sought after T20 players in the world, Khan holds the record for the fewest number of games required to reach 100 ODI wickets. Still just 19, Khan has a knack for ripping through teams' lower orders and in what is expected to be a tight group, that might prove vital in games that go down to the wire.

**Bangladesh – Tamim Iqbal:**A mainstay in this Bangladesh team for over a decade, Iqbal is one of Bangladesh's most consistent yet destructive performers. With 11 ODI hundreds to his name, including two in his last three games, Iqbal is the highest-ranked ODI batsman in the group. With Bangladesh the top-ranked side in the group, much will be expected from him to help take his team through to the Super Four stage.

Sri Lanka – Lasith Malinga: Malinga's call-up to the Sri Lanka squad was his first in over a year. Now 35, he doesn't possess quite the same pace he had when he was in his pomp, but with more than 300 ODI wickets under his belt, it would not be wise to write him off on his return to the squad. If he can get back to anywhere near his best then he will be a dangerous proposition for batsmen in the Asia Cup.

Squads

**Afghanistan:**Asghar Afghan (c), Javed Ahmadi, Munir Ahmad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Aftab Alam, Ihsanullah, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Shahzad, Samiullah Shenwari, Sayed Shirzad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran

**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 Shanto

**Sri Lanka:**Angelo Mathews (c), Amila Aponso, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananjaya, Niroshan Dickwella, Shehan Jayasuriya, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Kusal Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Kasun Rajitha, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Upul Tharanga