Their challenge, however, could not be tougher. Afghanistan’s famed spin arsenal is tailor-made for these conditions. Skipper Rashid Khan, backed by the guile of Mohammad Nabi, the left-arm craft of Noor Ahmad, and the energy of youngster AM Ghazanfar, will test every weakness in Bangladesh’s line-up.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, come in with confidence high after a dominant win over Hong Kong and a strong run in the recent tri-series against Pakistan and UAE. Their batting is just as threatening, with power-hitters like Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Najibullah Zadran complemented by the calm assurance of Ibrahim Zadran With net run rate favouring Afghanistan, Bangladesh must summon resilience and fight to stay alive. Anything less than their best could see Rashid Khan’s men tighten their grip on Group B.
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