Team Tigers is poised to launch a very hectic international cricket schedule with three matches T20 series with rising Afghans in their adopted home at Dehradun of India.
Bangladesh will proceed to West Indies after the series and would enter a very busy schedule of international cricket. Afghanistan is placed at 8th in ICC T20 ranking above Bangladesh at 10. Given the current hot form of Afghan super star Rashid Khan and two more quality players Mohammad Nabi and Mujibur Rahman this may not be a cake walk for team Tigers.
This writer considering the over all balance of the two teams and long international experience of key players still considers Bangladesh as favorite. But talented Afghans have all the elements to surprise Bangladesh as well. Over all it promises a very entertaining and attractive series.
Meanwhile BCB and ACB have announced the teams. Bangladesh has to absorb a last minute reverse as their new ball prodigy Mustafizur Rahman is not viable through injury. The attack is already weakened through retirement of maestro Mashrafe from T20 international. We are unsure that absence of two key bowlers would keep Bangladesh as penetrative as usual.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, looks to be buzzing and oozing in confidence Teenager Rashid Khan continues rocking cricket world with mesmerizing leg spin and googly bowling and occasional power hitting. In Mujibur Rahman, Afghans have found another world class bowler. Not to speak of Mohammad Nabi a talented all rounder. With 12 of the 20 overs in the safe hands of three top quality bowlers any team would think twice playing Afghans in T20 on seemingly spin friendly Indian wickets.
Teams:
Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad , Tamim Iqbal , Soumya Sarkar, Liton K Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman , Mosaddeque Hossain, Mehedy Meraj, Ariful Haque , Nazmul Hossain , Rubel Hossain, Abul Hasan Raju , Abu Jayed Rahi and Abu Hider Rony
Afghanistan: Ajghar Stanakzai, Najeeb Takai, Usman Ghani, Mohammad Shehjad, Mujibur Rahman Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Shamiullah Sinwari, Shafiqllah Sadak, Darbish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Zanat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Shapur Zadran and Aftab Alam.
It is true that Afghans are above Bangladesh in ICC T20 ranking. But that does not mean that Afghanistan is much stronger than Bangladesh in any format. They are still struggling in finding their feet in world cricket. They played lot mote T20 international against different nations winning some. Unfortunately Bangladesh plays very little T20 international and did not win as many to elevate their standing in the ranking.