‘Will be difficult’ without Mustafizur Rahman, says Shakib Al Hasan

Afghanistan and Bangladesh have faced off in just one Twenty20 International to date, which Bangladesh won by nine wickets.

But that was back in March 2014 in the ICC World T20, and in Dhaka. It was a very different Afghanistan then, and they promise to be a very different kettle of fish when playing Bangladesh at ‘home’ in Dehradun in the first week of June in a three-T20I series.

Making things tougher for Bangladesh is the fact that they will be without their best T20 paceman, Mustafizur Rahman. Rahman is out with a left toe injury, sustained during the Indian Premier League 2018, where he was a part of Mumbai Indians’ campaign.

“Naturally there will be some problems. He is our best T20 bowler and so it will be difficult,” Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh captain, was quoted as saying by media in his country on Friday, 1 June.

“It will be another opportunity for someone else. Whoever gets that opportunity he will have to grab that chance and make it count.”

Abul Hasan, the right-arm medium pacer who has played three Tests, seven one-day internationals and four T20Is for five wickets overall, has been called up as Rahman’s replacement in the side.

Apart from Hasan, the squad has pace options in Abu Hider, Abu Jayed, Ariful Haque, and the experienced Rubel Hossain, but whether pace or spin plays a bigger role at the new Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, which has never hosted international cricket before, remains to be seen.

“The first match is important,” pointed out Shakib. “If we can manage to start well, then the momentum will be with us. It will make our job easier in the next two matches.”

The first match will be played on 3 June, with the rest of the fixtures taking place on 5 June and 7 June. After that, Afghanistan will change gears and prepare to travel to Bangalore for their maiden Test match, against India, starting 14 June.