Abu dhabi: Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan at Sheikh Zayed Stadium today in a bid to keep their Asia Cup hopes alive. The match is scheduled to start at 8.30 pm (Bangladesh Time) with live broadcasts on T Sports and Nagorik TV.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Bangladesh started the tournament with a promising victory over Hong Kong, winning by seven wickets. However, they faced a setback in their second match, succumbing to a six-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka. With two teams from this group advancing to the Super 4 stage, Bangladesh must secure a victory in this final group fixture to remain in contention.
Afghanistan, having played only one game so far, secured a commanding 94-run victory over Hong Kong. Even if Afghanistan lose to Bangladesh today, they have a chance to qualify by defeating Sri Lanka in their last group match. A victory for Afghanistan would confirm their and Sri Lanka's spots in the Super 4.
Bangladesh captain Liton Das emphasized the importance of the match, stating their determination to win. "We are aware that it's a do-or-die situation. We'll try to come back strongly," he said ahead of the game.
Despite Afghanistan's favorable record against Bangladesh in T20s, with seven wins out of 12 encounters, Bangladesh remains optimistic. In their Asia Cup encounters, Afghanistan leads 3-2, including a seven-wicket victory in the T20 version in 2022.
Middle-order batter Jaker Ali Anik expressed the team's resolve to fight for a win, citing their recent T20 series victories against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the Netherlands as evidence of their improvement in the format. He believes the team excels under pressure.
Strategic changes may see fast bowler Taskin Ahmed return to the lineup, while Towhid Hridoy could be sidelined due to recent form issues. Bangladesh's squad includes key players like Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam, as they aim for a crucial win today.
The Afghanistan squad, led by Rashid Khan, includes notable players such as Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Nabi, posing a formidable challenge to Bangladesh's aspirations.