Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, BAN vs AFG, Today Match Prediction 16 July 2023

ban vs afg Match Prediction & Analysis

In a thrilling encounter at Sylhet, Bangladesh managed to overcome a tense situation and secure victory against Afghanistan by a narrow margin of two wickets in the first T20I match. With 1-0 lead, Bangladesh will be looking forward to seal the series to keep the unbeaten record from the last two series alive at home. The second T20I of the two-match T20I series will be played at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on 16th July from 5:30 PM.

Following their decision to bowl first, Bangladesh's bowlers showcased an impressive response to their captain's pre-match emphasis on the importance of a strong start. With three wickets in the first five overs, The Bangladeshi bowlers put the visitors on the back foot. Mohammad Nabi (54*) and Azmatullah Omarzai (33) then put Afghanistan to set up a target of 155 for Bangladesh. Skipper Shakib Al Hasan took 2 wickets for 27.

Bangladesh faced a sluggish start in their defence of a target of 154 runs, as they reached a score of 37 for two during the powerplay. Shakib Al Hasan, in an attempt to boost the run rate. However, his aggressive inning was cut short leaving Bangladesh struggling at 64 for 4. Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain played a pivotal role in Bangladesh's remarkable turnaround, with their exceptional partnership of 73 runs. Bangladesh won the game by two wickets with a ball to spare.

Both teams entered the shortest format of the game with impressive form. Bangladesh showcased their prowess by defeating the reigning world champions, England, with a convincing 3-0 victory, followed by a 2-1 triumph over Ireland in their last two T20I series, both of which took place on home soil. On the other hand, Afghanistan displayed their strength by outplaying Pakistan, the runners-up of the T20 World Cup, in their recent series held in the UAE, ultimately clinching the series with a 2-1 scoreline.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Bangladesh Preview

After losing the ODI series, Bangladesh have managed to pull things around. They won the last ODI game as a consolation, followed by the first T20I win. Litton Das and Rony Talukdar will open the innings for Bangladesh. Das has been Bangladesh’s leading run scorer this year in T20Is. He has 247 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 151.53. But his record against Afghanistan is not good. Talukdar on the other hand has scored 183 runs in the same games at a strike rate of 145.23. Najmul Hossain Shanto at number three has provided Bangladesh with the required anchoring this year. He averages 44.50 in 7 T20Is played this year.

Bangladeshi middle order survived the scare in the first T20I. The batting depth with Shakib, Hridoy, and Shamim Hossain will be the key to Bangladesh winning the series. Shakib has been outstanding this year. He has 121 runs with the bat while taking 10 wickets with the ball at an average of 13.80. He has the best economy for Bangladeshi bowlers. He will be the player to watch out for.

Taskin Ahmed will lead the bowling attack with Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam. Taskin is the leading wicket-taker this year with 13 wickets at an average of 14.46. The only flaw in Bangladesh’s bowling attack is that other bowlers excluding Shakib and Taskin haven’t taken wickets. After them, it’s Mustafizur, who has 4 wickets in 6 games.

Key Players: Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed.

Bangladesh Predicted Playing XI:

Litton Das (wk), Rony Talukdar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

Bangladesh Actual Playing XI:

Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Nasum Ahmed, Shakib Al Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan, Afif Hossain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy

Afghanistan Preview

Afghanistan have lost track after winning the first two games of the tour. Both openers Hazaratullah Zazai and Rahamanullah Gurbaz haven’t scored runs in the last two games. With the entire top order crumbling like the cards, skipper Rashid Khan has tension mounting to level up the series. Gurbaz has a decent record this year with 139 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 113.93. Ibrahim Zadran at number three is not scoring fast for Afghanistan. A strike rate of 99.21 at number three is not what a team looks for.

Mohammad Nabi is still playing the key role and showing everyone how it is to be done. The veteran all-rounder has 123 runs in 4 matches at a strike rate of 126.80. And he has been out just once. He will be the player to look out for besides Gurbaz. Karim Janat has the highest strike rate for Afghanistan this year. His strike rate of 135. 48 and two half-centuries this year are showing that he will lead the batting in the middle. Janat also took a hat trick in the first T20I.

Afghanistan’s bowling attack has gone from toughest to weakest during this year. They are not taking wickets. And that’s what have made them lose three out of 7 games played this year. Rashid is the leading wicket-taker with 8 wickets at an economy of 5.42 - the best amongst the bowling unit. He will be the bowler to look out for.

Key Players: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan.

Afghanistan Predicted Playing XI:

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Afghanistan Actual Playing XI:

Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Karim Janat, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Wafadar Momand, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The weather will be mostly cloudy. Thunderstorms are expected in the afternoon. The temperature will range between 26 and 33. The wind will be flowing from the west at 5-7 kmh. The pitch at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium is traditionally known to be spinner-friendly, offering assistance to the spin bowlers. The surface tends to be on the slower side with variable bounce, making stroke-making challenging at times. The pitch tends to wear down as the match progresses, resulting in increased assistance for the spinners and a slower pace for the seamers. 

Venue Details

The 2nd T20 of the series will be played at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on 16th July from 5:30 PM. The venue has a capacity of 30000 spectators and has hosted 1 Test, 7 ODIs & 47 T20Is. The average score at Chelmsford is low (119). A low-scoring game is expected.

Toss: To Bowl

In 47 T20Is, the results have favoured teams defending the target. The team defending the target in the last 28 games compared to the team chasing. But the last 5 games have shown a different picture. Four of them have favoured teams chasing the target. The team winning the toss should bowl first.