Bangladesh, Afghanistan meet amid rains as solitary Test struggles for significance
Big image
A Test match between two nations can be performed in one of many premier cricket stadiums, and in entrance of a dwell TV viewers. If that is thought-about as sufficient of a context, then the Bangladesh vs Afghanistan one-off Test is related. Otherwise, sandwiched between the World Test Championship ultimate and the upcoming Ashes, this contest in Dhaka, being held bang in the midst of Bangladesh’s monsoon season, struggles to achieve significance for his or her followers.
The Future Tours Programme initially had this sequence scheduled as a two-match affair, earlier than one Test was lower off. That, maybe, is a sign that even the solitary Test appears misplaced, not least when each side can be fairly extra keenly wanting ahead to the ODI World Cup, which is lower than 4 months away.
In truth, Bangladesh have performed only one Test this yr – the one-off sport against Ireland in April – with their subsequent matches within the format scheduled just for November, shortly after the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s final Test had come a very long time in the past – against Zimbabwe in March 2021 – though certainly one of their six video games within the format to this point has featured a 224-run win towards Bangladesh, even because it got here additional again in 2019.
Nevertheless, the hosts enter the Test towards Afghanistan on the again of an A sequence towards West Indies in May, the place a formidable present by uncapped batter Shahadat Hossain helped him earn a call-up to the nationwide aspect. Bangladesh will already be with out common Test captain Shakib Al Hasan – he’s out with a finger damage – and would possibly even miss senior batter Tamim Iqbal, who’s unlikely to play the sport with some bother in his again.
However, the guests can be taking some positives into the sport: allrounder Karim Janat, who hasn’t made his Test debut, was the very best run-getter within the final Ahmad Shah Abdali four-day match – he additionally had 18 wickets at a mean of 20 – whereas Amir Hamza had topped the wicket-taking charts. There have been a number of different performers in that competitors amongst those that are a part of the squad for the Test towards Bangladesh, together with left-arm wristspinner Zahir Khan and legspinner Izharulhaq Naveed, who can also be but to play a Test.
Form information
Bangladesh WLLLLL(final 5 accomplished matches; most up-to-date first)
Afghanistan WLLWW
In the highlight
The inexperienced pitch in Mirpur would put the onus on Bangladesh’s quick bowlers to give you a match-winning exhibiting. Taskin Ahmed is taken into account the chief of the pack, which additionally consists of Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Shoriful Islam and the uncapped Musfik Hasan. A 3-man tempo assault is almost definitely towards Afghanistan, though coach Chandika Hathurusinghe hinted that Bangladesh would possibly even think about fielding 4 tempo bowlers.
Ibrahim Zadran is the in-form batter for Afghanistan. The tall, swish right-hand opener averages 44 after 4 Tests, the place he has three half-centuries – together with an 87 towards Bangladesh – and enters this solitary Test on the again of a match-winning 98 in an ODI towards Sri Lanka earlier this month. He has the fourth-highest runs for any Afghanistan batter in Tests, and with solely 84 runs separating him from the topper, Zadran has the possibility to get proper on prime in Dhaka.
Team news
Bangladesh can be pressured to make no less than one change, with Shakib out whilst Tamim additionally stays a doubt. On Monday, Litton stated that he wish to go together with 5 bowlers though it’s unlikely that Taskin Ahmed can be introduced again so quickly after recovering from a aspect pressure.
Bangladesh (possible): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Litton Das (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Ebadot Hossain
Afghanistan final performed a Test two years in the past, with solely 4 gamers from that aspect a part of the squad to face Bangladesh. Rashid Khan has been rested. Thus, Abdul Malik is more likely to open the innings with Zadran, whereas middle-order batter Bahir Shah, Janat and Naveed may very well be the debutants.
Afghanistan (possible): 1 Ibrahim Zadran, 2 Abdul Malik, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Bahir Shah, 6 Karim Janat, 7 Afsar Zazai (wk), 8 Amir Hamza, 9 Yamin Ahmadzai, 10 Izharulhaq Naweed, 11 Zahir Khan
Pitch and situations
There was a shocking tinge of inexperienced on the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch when the bottom workers unveiled it amid the rain breaks two days earlier than the sport. And if the forecast seems to be true, there’s more likely to be quite a few rain interruptions all through the 5 days. Not a lot tempo and bounce is predicted on the venue.
Stats and trivia
Quotes
“The expectation is high. We are here to play good cricket, and want to win the game. Yes, we had a gap because the last time we played [was] against Zimbabwe two years ago. [But] we play domestic first-class games, and lots of players are involved in that.”
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi stays hopeful regardless of an absence of publicity to Test cricket
“Most of our players played against West Indies A recently. Many have been playing cricket quite regularly. Some of us have also been playing one-day cricket recently. I think if we can do a mental shift, we won’t have too many problems.”
Bangladesh’s stand-in captain Litton Das is assured of their build-up
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84