Bangladesh-Afghanistan 2nd ODI today
Sports Reporter :
Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan in the second One Day International (ODI) today at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates. The match will begin at 4:00pm (Bangladesh Standard Time). Captain of Bangladesh Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead his side, while Captain of Afghanistan Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead his side.
Private satellite channel Nagorik Television and private satellite sports channel T Sports will telecast the match live.
Bangladesh tasted a heavy 92-run defeat to Afghanistan in the first ODI at the same venue on November 6.
If Bangladesh lost to Afghanistan today, Bangladesh cannot avoid the series defeat. If the Tigers beat Afghanistan, Bangladesh will level the series. In that case, the winner of the three-match ODI series will be decided in the third and final ODI, which is scheduled to be held at the same venue on November 11.
Before today’s match, the Tigers played against Afghanistan in 17 ODI games. Bangladesh recorded 10 victories, while Afghanistan won in the seven occasions.
Bangladesh have a good news that left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed and promising right-arm pacer Nahid Rana reached United Arab Emirates and joined the Bangladesh squad. It may be mentioned that ace wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim was ruled out from the squad as his finger was fractured. He could not take part rest of the two ODIs. Even he is doubt to take part in the upcoming West Indies series.
Meanwhile, Selector of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Hannan Sarkar said, ” We shall not send any alternatives of Mushfiqur Rahim to play in Sharjah.”
” Zakir Hasan and Jaker Ali Anik are in the squad. Both of them can do wicketkeeping and they are also good batters. So, one of them will do their duty behind the wickets. We don’t feel to send any alternative instead of Mushfiqur Rahim,” he added.
Bangladesh ODI squad: Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Mahmudullah Riyad, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hassan Miraz (Vice-Captain), Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam and Nahid Rana.
Afghanistan ODI squad : Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmat Shah (Vice-Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz , Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Malik, Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Bilal Sami, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik.