Bangladesh and Afghanistan will face off in the third One-Day International (ODI) at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Tuesday.
Host Bangladesh will only have only pride to play for as Afghanistan has already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The visitor clinched a massive 142-run win in the second game after emerging victorious by 17 runs in the rain-curtailed first ODI.
TEAM NEWSWith Ebadot Hossain ruled out of the series due to injury, Taskin Ahmed is likely to be slotted back into the team after missing the second ODI. With Tamim Iqbal out of the series, Bangladesh could also give Rony Talukdar a game after Mohammad Naim failed to fire in the last match.
On the other hand, Afghanistan has been unchanged in the first two ODIs and could play the same team on Tuesday as it looks to sweep the series. Pacer Mohammad Saleem has been the only chink in the Afghan bowling attack as he has leaked runs and been wicketless in the series so far. He could be replaced by left-arm pacer Sayed Shirzad.
Rony Talukdar/Mohammad Naim, Litton Das (c), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed.
AFGHANISTAN PREDICTED XIRahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (wk), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mohammad Saleem/Sayed Shirzad.
Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are the top two highest run-scorers in this series. They combined for a record 256-run opening partnership in the last game. In contrast, Bangladesh’s batting has struggled as the host has failed two breach the 200-run mark in both games. Wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim provided the only resistance with the bat in the second ODI with a fighting 85-ball 69.
On the bowling front too, the Afghans have been on fire. Leading the pack is pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, who has picked six wickets in two matches, followed by the inimitable spin duo of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan, who have taken nine wickets between them in the series.
Shakib Al Hasan’s three wickets in two matches is the best by a Bangladeshi player in the series. The left-arm spinner has also been economical, conceding just 3.90 runs an over.
Wicketkeepers: Mushfiqur Rahim, Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Batters: Ibrahim Zadran, Najmul Hossain Shanto
All-rounders: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mohammad Nabi, Mehidy Hasan Miraz
Bowlers: Rashid Khan (vc), Mustafizur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Team Composition BAN 5:6 AFG Credits Left 7.5
Mohammad Naim, Litton Das (c), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Ebadot Hossain, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Rony Talukdar, Shoriful Islam.
AFGHANISTANRahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Riaz Hassan, Shahidullah Kamal, Ikram Alikhil, Zia-ur-Rehman, Wafadar Momand, Sayed Shirzad, Abdul Rahman.
The third ODI between Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be streamed LIVE in India on the FanCode app and website at 1:30 PM IST. There is no LIVE telecast of the match in India.
