Many may not bet on Bangladesh in T20 or Test. However, Bangladesh is the best team in one-day international matches that is already proved by Tigers many times.

The ranking of The Bangladesh team is good and the recent performance of the team is also eye-catching. The team is now fully strengthened. The Tigers won the last Test against the Afghans by a record margin. That win will surely give extra confidence in today’s match. The two teams have met 11 times in ODIs so far. Among them, Bangladesh’s margin of victory is heavier where Bangladesh won 7 out of 11 appearances.

After the Test, the Bangladesh team is going to play on a pace-supporting wicket against Afghanistan in the ODI as well. The four pitches on which the cricketers of the Bangladesh team are practicing at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium have been laid with grass. The wicket in the first match of the ODI series also has grass and Tigers played the same strategy against Afghanistan in this field last year. There was a green wicket in that series too. Bangladesh won the series 2-1. This time too, Bangladesh wants to blow away the Afghans with speed on the green wicket.

Bangladesh ODI team captain Tamim Iqbal said in the pre-series press conference yesterday that the wicket is different. Chattogram is usually a batting wicket. I hope it will be the same here. But the first 10-15 overs will be a bit challenging for both teams.

The hope is that the green wicket will lend a helping hand to the pacers. However, the Bangladesh team wants to rotate the pacers in this series. From what Tamim said, it seemed that Taskin Ahmed, Mostafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Ebadot Hossain and Shoriful Islam would all get a chance to play in the Afghanistan series. As Tamim was saying, everyone among the pacers is doing well. There may be a change here. You may see different pace bowling combinations in the three matches. The team management wants to give chance to the two batsmen Mohammad Naeem and Afif Hossain in the team. This plan of the Bangladesh team is to keep the cricketers in the game before the Asia Cup and the World Cup. He said in this regard, we will try to give everyone a chance in this series, but it is not certain. We will try to give Naeem a chance. It is good for them if they can play 2-3 matches before a big event.

Meanwhile, spinner Rashid Khan is returning to the Afghan team with the ODI series. He could not play the only Test due to injury. All-rounder Mohammad Nabi and spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman also returned to the team with him. Stating Rashid’s presence in the team as a place of strength for them, captain Hashmat Ullah Shahidi said, Rashid is a big name for us. Having a player like Rashid in the XI gives me a lot of confidence as a captain. This is positive for us. I know he will do something good for the team.

He also mentioned that he can get a good idea about the Tigers with this series before the World Cup. The Afghan captain said it is important for both teams. Because we want to know each other better. We have Asia Cup and World Cup matches. It can be good preparation for us. Moreover, the idea about the bowlers and batters of Bangladesh as opponents will also be available, which will be useful for us in Asia Cup and World Cup.

Bangladesh squad: Tamim Iqbal (capt), Liton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Afif Hossain and Naim Sheikh.