Rookie Afghanistan has humiliated Bangladesh in OBHAI only Test at Chattogram. A loss by huge 224 runs must have rub salt to Bangladesh injury after disastrous Sri Lanka tour following average performance in CWC 2019.
Unexpected loss is test against Afghanistan which only played its third ever Test has badly bruised and battered Bangladesh pride.
Opportunity is there now to regain some consolation through winning the tri-nation T20 series where alongside Afghanistan, Zimbabwe is featuring. Zimbabwe in the lone warm up match yesterday pulverized a BCB XI comprising of some Bangladesh internationals to pulp.
Afghanistan ranks much higher than Bangladesh in T20. In not too distant past they white washed Bangladesh in a bilateral series.
Amidst blaming and counter blaming for Chattogram reverse, BCB has announced a 13 member squad for the first two matches of the series.
Bangladesh squad: Shakib Al Hasan, Liton K Das, Soumya Sarkar, Afif Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taijul Islam, Mustfizur Rahman and Yasin Arafat
The playing XI made out of it would play against Zimbabwe on 13 and Afghanistan on 15 September at SBNCS Dhaka, 7 of the players featured in that humiliating test defeat and their morale must not be very high at the moment. Mustafizur Rahman who should have definitely played the test has been recalled. All rounder Saifuddin whose match fitness was in doubt returns. A rookie pacer Yasin Arafat has been preferred over tried and tested Rubel and fit again Taskin Ahmed. We find logic in including Taijul who actually should have been CWC 2019 Bangladesh team.
Let the cricket admirers of Bangladesh analyze whether the selected squad is the best available at the moment. Did Soumya and Liton deliver at all in the recent past? Were they not seen lost against quality Afghanistan bowling? Did we run out of all other options for selecting openers? Why Taskin, Ebadat and Rahi not being tried? Miraj despite of his indifferent form is still a wicket taking option. We are not sure how good an option would be young Yasin Arafat? Let us hope that Bangladesh is not humiliated in T20 series also.
Let us see what Afghanistan may offer in T20. They are side in form and T20 is their forte
Afghanistan squad: Rashid Khan, Hazrattullah Zazai, Najeeb Tarakai, Asghar Afghan, Nazibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Shafiqullah, Dawlat Zadran, Fareed Ahmed, Fazal Nazai, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen Ul Haq, Rahmatullah Gulbaz
Needless mentioning that top ranked leg spinning all rounder Rashid Khan and mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman would turn out as tormentor in the series. Whatever surface is offered their 4+4=8 would be eventful. Mohammad Nabi is good enough spinning all rounder to control the innings. Add 8+4=12 of the 20 0vers will be in the safe hands of spin artists. Gulbadin Naib and Karim Janat are also quality bowlers to support. Dawlat Zadran and Naveen Ul Huq may add pace variation. Hazratullah Zazai is an aggressive opening batsman. We have seen what Asghar Afghan can deliver. If Afghanistan scores 160 in any match they have quality bowling attack and very agile fielders of fit athletes to defend. In my opinion Afghanistan would be the favorite team of the tournament.
Zimbabwe is passing through a challenging spell of their cricket. It is great that BCB invited them and they responded. We can not compass much about them at this stage. But the way they disposed off a strong BCB XI in the warm up match lets off wake up call for Bangladesh. The likes of Taylor, Maskadaza may cause upsets.
It is a pity that while Afghanistan in only few years in top league and having very limited opportunity for playing at home could set up different teams in different formats Bangladesh has to play with some unwilling horses in all formats.
As mentioned at the start Bangladesh can make its ardent followers forget bitter immediate past a bit with strong performance. If not it will be sad and catastrophe would prolong.
BDST: 1044 HRS, SEPT 12, 2019
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