DUBAI, Aug 29(ABC): The third match of the ongoing Asia Cup, between Afghanistan and Bangladesh, could decide Sri Lanka’s fate in the tournament.
Sri Lanka suffered a massive defeat in their opening game against Afghanistan, which put a massive dent, -5.176, on their net run-rate.
If Afghanistan continue their good form and beat Bangladesh as well, that will make the final group-stage match, between Sri Lanka and the Tigers, as a straightforward knockout clash. The net run-rate will not matter in that situation.
However, if Bangladesh beat Afghanistan, Sri Lanka will need to beat the Tigers in their last match by a massive margin which won’t be an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.
Afghanistan just needs to ensure that they do not lose by a big margin against Bangladesh in order to have one foot in the final four.
Afghanistan are unlikely to change their winning combination for tomorrow’s match.
Meanwhile, captain Shakib-al-Hassan, wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim and pacer Mohammad Saifuddin will be back in the Bangladesh team after sitting out tour of Zimbabwe.
Expected lineups
Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi (c), Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Anamul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Afif Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nasum Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman.