Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan celebrate after taking a wicket during Match 3 between Bangladesh and Afghanistan at HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI
Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bowl against Afghanistan at the Cricket World Cup on Saturday at Dharamsala, India. Skipper Shakib Al Hassan picked up two early wickets as Afghanistan were 86 for the loss of two in 17 overs.
It was the first of two World Cup matches on Saturday, with South Africa scheduled to play Sri Lanka in a later match at New Delhi.
Afghanistan lost all nine games at the 2019 World Cup in England. Pacer Naveen ul Haq is back into the side, but Afghanistan has gone spin heavy with three frontline spinners in Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb ur Rahman.
Bangladesh has never qualified for the semifinals at a World Cup and skipper Shakib Al Hasan will be hoping to improve on that record in his fifth and final time at the tournament.
It has chosen to go with a pace-heavy lineup to counter Afghanistan’s spin. Pacer Taskin Ahmed has taken 21 wickets in 10 ODIs in 2023, and has enjoyed past success against Afghanistan openers.
This is the first of four World Cup games to be played at Dharamsala and the only day game. The picturesque ground will also host India versus New Zealand on Oct. 22.
Conditions at the high altitude ground suit fast bowlers and aid batsmen in the second innings.
Lineups:
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.