Bangladesh vs Afghanistan Prediction: Who will win today's Asia Cup 2022 match?
Bangladesh have struggled in the shortest format of late. They are winless in the four T20I series they have played since last year's T20 World Cup, with only two wins in 11 matches. The Tigers can take consolation from the fact that one of those wins came against the opposition they will face in their first game of the 2022 Asia Cup, Afghanistan, in Sharjah on Tuesday, August 30.
Afghanistan, like Bangladesh, weren't in great form heading into the Asia Cup. But they put all their demons aside to annihilate Sri Lanka by eight wickets and make a real statement. A win - or even a narrow loss - could confirm Afghanistan's place in the Super 4 stage.
Afghanistan are a force to be reckoned with in T20I cricket even if they aren't at their best. Mohammad Nabi and Co. have all the makings of a solid shortest-format side - aggressive openers, a slew of all-rounders, and a set of world-class spinners. Bangladesh, on the other hand, haven't been able to arrive at the right template and paint a rather insipid picture while playing T20Is.
Asia Cup 2022: Afghanistan look to keep momentum going against familiar foes Bangladesh
Bangladesh will welcome the return of a couple of senior pros - Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim - for the Asia Cup. But how much of an impact can the duo make for a side that has struggled to produce attacking batters over the last few years? Especially at the top of the order, the Tigers don't have personnel capable of giving them a rapid start.
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Bangladesh's openers will be up against the in-form Fazalhaq Farooqi, who walked away with the Player of the Match award against Sri Lanka for his three-wicket haul. Afghanistan's other pacers - Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai - could be easier targets for Bangladesh to take on, but the spin threat of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Nabi could be too much to handle.
Afghanistan would've been delighted to see both Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai notch up a few runs against Sri Lanka. The openers haven't been in great touch coming into the tournament, and the confidence they would've gained from their solid partnership will serve the side well in the upcoming games.
Overall, this match seems like a straightforward win for Afghanistan. Although Nabi and Co. aren't among the most consistent sides in the world and could collapse on any given day, they are much stronger than Bangladesh on paper and should be able to notch up their second win on the trot.
Prediction: Afghanistan to win Match 3 of the Asia Cup