Asia Cup 2022: Shakib Al Hasan-led Bangladesh face stiff test against high-flying Afghanistan in their opener
India Today
Asia Cup 2022: Bangladesh, who are heading into the tournament on the back of a series defeat in Zimbabwe, need to be at their best if they are to begin their campaign on a winning note against a high-flying Afghanistan team. The two sides will meet in Sharjah on Tuesday, August 30.
Bangladesh will take on high-flying Afghanistan in their opening match of Asia Cup 2022 at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Ground on Tuesday, August 30. All eyes will be on Shakib Al Hasan as the newly-appointed captain is entrusted with the role of reversing Bangladesh's fortunes in the shortest format of the game.
Not Pakistan, not Sri Lanka but Bangladesh have finished runners-up in the last two editions of the Asia Cup, including the 2016 edition where the tournament was played in the T20I format for the first time. However, things have not gone Bangladesh's way in the shortest format of the game in the recent past.
Bangladesh have won just 2 matches out of 13 since last year's T20 World Cup and are heading into the Asia Cup after losing a T20I series 1-2 to Zimbabwe.
Drawn in the group of death, Group B, Bangladesh can't afford an early slip as only two out of the 3 teams from the group progress to the Super 4s. Afghanistan will be hoping to seal a berth in the Super 4s as a win on Tuesday will help Mohammad Nabi's men seal progression.
And it's not going to be easy for Bangladesh against Afghanistan, who will head into the contest with a lot of confidence after having hammered Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in their opening match of Asia Cup 2022.
Bangladesh will be aiming to improve their ordinary T20 record against a confident Afghanistan in the Asia Cup here on Tuesday. Afghanistan pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq had broken the backbone of Sri Lanka batting and their batters had chased down the 105-run target in 10.1 overs.
The spin trio of Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman was top-class against Sri Lanka and they will be itching to have a go against the Bangladesh batters, who are low on confidence in the lead-up to the continental tournament.
