Afghanistan’s star legspinner Rashid Khan returned to action in the series-opening one-day international against Bangladesh after missing the one-off test match last month. Khan, one of the leading bowlers in short-form cricket, was looking forward to making an impact with the ball after his skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to field.
Afghanistan made only one change to their lineup, handing a debut to pacer Saleem Safi in place of Gulbadin Naib. Bangladesh, on the other hand, received a boost with the returns of allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, paceman Taskin Ahmed, and batter Afif Hossain.
The teams for the match were as follows:
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal (captain), Liton Das, Najmul Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Saleem Safi.
The match promises an exciting contest between two talented sides. Bangladesh will be looking to continue their winning momentum from the recent test match, which they won by a massive 546-run margin. With the return of experienced players like Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, and Afif Hossain, the Bangladesh ODI lineup looks formidable.
On the other hand, Afghanistan will be eager to bounce back after their defeat in the test match. Rashid Khan’s return will add depth and variation to their bowling attack, which will be crucial in restricting the strong Bangladesh batting lineup.
The teams will be aiming to start the ODI series on a positive note and gain an early advantage. Both sides possess talented cricketers capable of turning the game in their favor. It will be interesting to see how the match unfolds and which team manages to take control.
Cricket fans around the world will be eagerly waiting to witness the exciting clash between these two competitive teams. Stay tuned for updates and highlights from this thrilling encounter.
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