Bangladesh hope to finish the series with a game in hand when they take on Afghanistan in the second ODI on Friday at ZACS, Chattogram. The Bangladesh campaign has soared in confidence after an amazing victory in the opening match. They will strive to carry over the euphoria of the last match in the second for an even more damaging performance. This will be a do-or-die contest for Afghanistan in order to stay alive in the series. The second ODI match preview of BAN vs AFG 2022 is discussed in this article.
Bangladesh vs Afghanistan ODI Series 2022: Second Match Preview
Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal should have faith in his lower middle order after a magnificent batting performance by Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the series opener. Oppositely, Afghan captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi must reflect on what went wrong in the first encounter. The game will begin at 11 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Bangladesh
Bangladesh camp was skeptical of the lower middle order's potential. However, Afif and Miraz's unbroken match-winning stand in the first match has changed their opinion about the team's lower middle order capability. The Bangladesh team now believes they can rely on their young players, which is a major improvement.
Read: 1st ODI: Imperious Afif, Mehidy guide Tigers to surprise victory vs Afghanistan
However, the selectors will keep an eye on the players who did not do well in the first encounter. Liton Das's recent limited-overs performances have been disappointing. Yasir Ali, who made his ODI debut in the previous match, didn't last long at the crease, while Mushfiqur Rahim hasn't been in great form in international cricket. They must improve in the second encounter.
Apart from them, Bangladesh's fast bowling trio, Mustafizur, Taskin, and Shoriful performed well in the opening game. Tamim Iqbal's captaincy made a big impression. His bowler rotation was efficient, and he appears to have learned a lot as a captain. Bangladesh are most likely to use the same playing XI for the second match.
Read BAN vs AFG 2022: Attainable Milestones for Bangladesh Players in the Afghanistan Series
Predicted Playing XI
Top Order: Tamim Iqbal Khan (Captain), Liton Kumar Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Middle-Orders: Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Lower-Order: Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam
Afghanistan
Afghanistan's captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi should bear the majority of the blame for the team's loss in the first match. Medium-pacer, Fazalhaq Farooqi gave Afghanistan a great start by taking four wickets in his first stint. However, he was underutilized when he was required. Shahidi should have brought Farooqi into action when Afif Hossain and Mehidy Miraz were forming a partnership. Hashmatullah Shahidi's bowling rotation of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman was not very effective. Afghanistan's captaincy must improve in the second match of the BAN vs AFG 2022 ODI series.
Read: BAN vs AFG ODI Series 2022: Five Unique Records Broken in the First Match
Afghanistan bowlers performed well in the first match, while the batters were relatively ineffective. Najibullah Zadran scored a half-century, while Rahmat Shah got off to a good start but couldn't keep going. The biggest impediment for Afghanistan's batters is their inability to play long innings, which they need to improve.
Predicted Playing XI
Top Order: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wicket-Keeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Middle Orders: Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Lower Order: Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Yamin Ahmadzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Verdict
Bangladesh have gained ten points after winning the opening match of the series. They will go to the top of the ICC World Cup Super League points standings if they win the second match of the BAN vs AFG 2022 ODI series. Therefore, the Bangladesh campaign is focused on clinching the series in the second ODI. On the contrary, Afghanistan are a formidable opponent. They will strive to level the series with a strong comeback. Cricket fans should be ready for another exciting match on Friday.