Pitch and weather: Clear blue skies are expected in Lahore at the start of the encounter, with the temperature likely to be around the 25-degree mark as the evening kicks in. There is no forecast for rain. Batters have made merry at the Gaddafi Stadium in recent times. Scores of 300 were breached in three of the six innings when Australia visited for an ODI series last year. More recently, in April this year, New Zealand and Pakistan also played a number of high-scoring T20Is here.
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Highlights 2023, Sunday 3-9-2023, 4th Match Asia Cup, Group B (D/N), Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Shakib Al Hasan says they’ve made three changes, which we’ll have for you in a bit. He adds that along with the searing heat and the nature of the wicket, he wants to bat first and put on a good total.
Hashmatullah Shahidi says they would have batted first as well, and adds that he hopes the recent series against Pakistan (which was hosted by Sri Lanka) will hold them in good stead.
Toss: Bangladesh will bat first.
Afghanistan team: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt.), 5 Najibullah Zadran, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Gulbadin Naib, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi
Bangladesh team: 1 Mohammad Naim, 2 Mehidy Hasan Miraz 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Towhid Hridoy, 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Shamim Hossain Patwary, 8 Afif Hossain, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Hasan Mahmud, 11 Shoriful Islam
Head to Head In ODI’s: 14
Afghanistan Won: 6
Bangladesh Won: 8
Afghanistan ODI Rankings: 9th
Bangladesh ODI Rankings: 7th
Form guide
(last five completed ODI’s, most recent first)
Afghanistan LLLLW
Bangladesh LWLLW
Match Timings: 9:30 AM GMT | 3:00 PM Local
Umpires – Asif Yaqoob, Langton Rusere
TV Umpire – Chris Gaffaney
Match Referee – David Boon
Reserve Umpire – Masudur Rahman
Match number – ODI no. 4631
Shakib Al Hasan: We played very well all-round. It wasn’t easy for the fielders to play 50 overs and come and bat, so we were really lucky to win the toss. [Mehidy promotion] He got his chance up the order and proved himself, we always knew he had the ability. We executed our plans really well, the fast bowlers especially bowled their heart out. This wasn’t an easy wicket to bowl on.”
Mehidy Hasan Miraz gets an award for the most sixes. He is also named Player of the Match: “I’m really happy. I think the team management believe in me. It was an excellent wicket, the ball was coming on easy so I just tried to strike through the line. It was an excellent partnership with Shanto.”
