LAHORE: The Gaddafi Stadium will welcome the Asia Cup with what can prove to be a potential eliminator when Bangladesh take on Afghanistan here on Sunday.
Having lost their opener against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Thursday, Bangladesh have no option but to overcome Afghanistan in the second Group ‘B’ clash — which will be the first match of the tournament at the iconic venue — to stay alive in the event.
The stadium will stage the group’s remaining fixture between Sri Lanka and the Afghans on Tuesday before featuring Pakistan’s first Super 4 match.
Bangladesh will go up against the Afghans with the memories of their recent 2-1 One-day International series loss against the latter haunting them.
Although Afghanistan took 1-0 lead in that series in a rain-marred encounter, they sealed it with an all-round performance in the second match, which saw openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran smash hundreds before pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi and spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rehman carry out Bangladesh’s rout in Chattogram.
Gurbaz and Mujeeb, in particular, have emerged as Afghanistan’s most dangerous players. While ever-improving young opener Gurbaz will look for quick runs on what will be a batting friendly wicket in Lahore, Mujeeb’s mystery spin will bother the Bangladeshis. Add to that Rashid Khan’s cunning leg-break and Farooqi’s swing and accuracy.
Shakib Al Hasan’s men — who held their first training session at the Gaddafi Stadium on the eve of the match — are not only reeling from their loss against Sri Lanka, but also that of regular captain Tamim Iqbal and opener Liton Das to injuries — the absence of both was felt in Pallekele.
“We have lost the first match to Sri Lanka, so tomorrow’s match is important,” Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday “The Afghanistan team has a good spin bowling attack and it is a challenge but hopefully we will bring up our A game against them.”
Despite being depleted by injuries to key players, Hathurasingha was hopeful his available group of players will be up to the task against when it will matter the most.
The weather in Lahore is hot and humid, with the breeze almost out of question but Hathurasingha said it wasn’t a problem for his team, of which the players come from a similar climate.
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said that his team was well-prepared for the encounter.
“We are here in Lahore for the last ten days and we did good practice and we are well prepared for the match,” he said.
The Afghanistan skipper believed that his team had gelled well and has displayed good cricket, despite the fact that they were beaten by a strong Pakistan side 3-0 in the recent series.
Squads:
AFGHANISTAN: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Abdul Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Suliman Safi, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
BANGLADESH: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Tanjid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mamhud, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Mohammad Naim
