Asia Cup 2023: Bangladesh win toss, put Afghanistan to bowl

Bangladesh on Sunday won the toss and put Afghanistan to bowl in the 4th match of the Asia Cup 2023 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

After the toss Afghanistan Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi said that they would have batted first as well if they had won the toss, adding that he hoped the recent series against Pakistan (which was hosted by Sri Lanka) would hold them in good stead.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said: “We’ve made three changes, which we’ll have for you in a bit.”

He added that along with the searing heat and the nature of the wicket, he wants to bat first and put on a good total.

The match is likely to be a tough clash between the two sides as the Afghanistan side has trumped Bangladesh in 3 of the last 5 encounters between the two sides.

Afghanistan will play their first-ever international match in Pakistan.

In the past, many Afghan players grew up learning cricket in Pakistan while some also featured in domestic cricket, which includes star all-rounder Mohammad Nabi.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh will be looking to bounce back from their defeat in the first match against Sri Lanka since it is a must-win affair for them in order to qualify for the Super 4.

Playing XIs

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan (cap), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shamim Hossain Patwary, Afif Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam.