Tigers return to their best format after seven months

Bangladesh are set to return to their most preferred form of cricket after seven months as they will take on Afghanistan in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chattogram. Although Bangladesh will start favourites in this match, Afghanistan always fancy their chances against the Tigers. They won two out of the last five encounters against Bangladesh that includes a famous 136-run win in the 2018 Asia Cup.

Afghanistan have great memories of this very ground as they beat Bangladesh in a Test match here three years ago. But ZACS is a happy hunting ground for Bangladesh as well, having won eight out of the last 10 ODIs at this venue. 

Both teams won their last bilateral ODI series - Bangladesh against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan against the Netherlands - and will be keen to carry their form into the three-match series. 

The visitors might be a little short on confidence after their conditioning camp was struck by Covid-19. But they will undoubtedly come hard at Bangladesh in familiar conditions as many of their players have enough experience of playing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). 

Joy might be handed a debut

Bangladesh have called up two uncapped batters - Yasir Ali and Mahmudul Hasan Joy - for a middle-order spot and it looks like the latter will make his debut on Wednesday as the captain Tamim Iqbal termed him 'the best young player of spin'. Joy had a decent BPL and his confidence should be high.

"As much as I have seen of Joy, he bats at the middle-order in one day games. He has batted at number three or four. He has the capability of batting at the top three. He plays spin very well. That's the reason why he has been picked. He is one of the best players of spin among the young players," Tamim said in the pre-match press conference. 

Afghan spin trio can cause serious damage 

Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal admitted that Afghanistan have probably the best spin-bowling attack in the world. The visitors have troubled the Bangladeshi batters previously and they will have their work cut out against the spinners. Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, one of their key spinners, has played in the BPL for Fortune Barishal alongside and against all the Bangladeshi players and the experience will help him.

Rashid Khan had an excellent Pakistan Super League (PSL) as well for Lahore Qalandars, picking up 13 wickets in nine matches. Mohammad Nabi did not have the best of times in the PSL but knows very well what works in these conditions and what not. Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said that he is very confident that the spinners will cause a lot of damage in the series.

"We have a good spin attack. In the wickets in Bangladesh, spin bowling does very well. So, I am confident of that and hopefully, it will be a good sign for us," Afghan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi said in the pre-match press conference.

Players to watch out for

Mustafizur Rahman finished the recently concluded BPL as the leading wicket-taker with 19 scalps and looked to be in fine rhythm. Mustafizur worked on the inswinger and used it to good effect in the tournament. He has mastered the slower ball out of the back of the hand as well and it is definitely a dangerous sign for the opponents, especially in Bangladesh. At home, since 2019, Mustafizur has picked up 14 wickets in eight matches and the economy rate of 3.68 suggests that the batters hardly found ways to score off him.

Opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz was in smashing form in the PSL and will look to make an impression in familiar conditions in Bangladesh. Gurbaz is a fast starter and the bowlers with the new ball have to be very careful. He scored two centuries in his last six outings in ODIs and if he continues in this fashion, then the Bangladesh bowlers will have a lot to worry about.

Pitch and conditions

The match will begin at 11 am and so dew is not likely to be a big factor. The ZACS saw runs in the BPL and is generally a ground where batters enjoy the conditions. The run rate in the last five games here is 5.48 and one can expect a high-scoring encounter between the two sides. Tamim Iqbal, the homeboy, is the highest run-scorer at this venue and will look to get a good score after a long layoff.