Afghanistan Favorites in Familiar Sharjah as Bangladesh Faces Visa Issues for Nahid and Nasum

Afghanistan is set to host Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series in Sharjah this week, marking the beginning of both teams’ preparation for the Champions Trophy early next year. Here are some key factors to watch out for as the series unfolds.

Afghanistan’s Advantage in Sharjah

The two teams come into the series in contrasting forms. Afghanistan recently claimed their first-ever bilateral ODI series win over South Africa, showcasing their confidence. With Sharjah as one of their unofficial home grounds, Afghanistan is well-versed in the conditions there.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, is struggling with confidence following their recent home series against South Africa, where they lost both Tests in Dhaka and Chattogram. They last played ODIs in Sharjah 29 years ago, during the 1995 Asia Cup. Since then, they’ve played only three T20Is at the venue, their most recent match being a seven-wicket loss to Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup.

Introducing Sediqullah Atal and Bilal Sami

Afghanistan has brought in young talents, including opening batter Sediqullah Atal and left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad, as replacements for injured players Ibrahim Zadran (ankle) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (hand). Atal made a strong impression in the Asia Cup for emerging teams with three quick fifties, finishing as the top scorer. Additionally, 20-year-old fast bowler Bilal Sami, known for his effective use of the short ball, impressed against Sri Lanka A in the recent emerging teams’ tournament.

Other key players include Noor Ahmad, who claimed 22 wickets in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and was named Player of the Tournament. Fazalhaq Farooqi, who took eight wickets in their last ODI series against Bangladesh, is another threat, along with the 18-year-old off-spinner AM Ghazanfar, who has had recent success against South Africa.

Nahid Rana’s ODI Debut

For Bangladesh, form, availability, and fitness issues have led to a number of changes in the ODI squad. Shakib Al Hasan is reportedly sitting out the Afghanistan series, Litton Das is unwell, and Tanzim Hasan is sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Among the new faces is Nahid Rana, who left a strong impression during Bangladesh’s Test series in Pakistan in August. Alongside Rana, Zakir Hasan and Nasum Ahmed join the squad, complementing Bangladesh’s pace attack that includes Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and Shoriful Islam. However, Nasum and Nahid are still awaiting UAE visas, making them unavailable for the first ODI.

While Sharjah’s conditions may not favor pace, Rana’s performance in a new format will be closely watched.

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Can Bangladesh Move Past Their Off-Field Issues?

In contrast to Afghanistan’s smooth preparations, Bangladesh has faced a turbulent lead-up. Although Najmul Hossain Shanto is now captain, his role remains uncertain after he informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that he wanted to step down from the role following the South Africa Test series.

Confusion around the coaching situation has also impacted Bangladesh’s setup. After Chandika Hathurusinghe was suspended and then dismissed, Phil Simmons briefly joined as head coach. This shake-up coincided with controversy surrounding Shakib Al Hasan’s reported Test retirement and his absence from the South Africa series due to security concerns.

Bangladesh’s struggles against South Africa suggest that these disruptions have affected their focus. Moving past these distractions will be crucial as they aim for a fresh start, beginning with this series against Afghanistan lisalavoie.com.