Asia Cup 2018: Time to experiment for Bangladesh and Afghanistan in dead rubber

The dead rubber offers the sides a chance to rest their key players, and Bangladesh especially are expected to make use of that, given they have to finish the match, pack their bags, and make the trip to Dubai for the game against India on Friday.

Going into the 2018 edition of the Asia Cup, one expected the clash between Bangladesh and Afghanistan to be one that could well decide on which two teams from Group B would finally make it to the Super Fours. But as it stands, the clash between the two teams in Abu Dhabi on Thursday is nothing more than a dead rubber as Sri Lanka have already been knocked out of the tournament.

Bangladesh batsman Mushfiqur Rahim will look to continue his good form in the Asia Cup against Afghanistan. (AFP)

The dead rubber offers the sides a chance to rest their key players, and Bangladesh especially are expected to make use of that, given they have to finish the match, pack their bags, and make the trip to Dubai for the game against India on Friday.

Afghanistan, comparatively, have some leeway, as their match against Pakistan on Friday is to be played in Abu Dhabi. They will therefore look to address their concerns with the middle order, which failed to properly build on the foundations laid by Mohammad Shahzad, Ihsanullah and Rahman Shah against Sri Lanka.

From 107/1 in the 25th over, they managed to post just 249. That, however, proved more than sufficient given the form of their spinners – Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman – but if their middle order can provide a bit more solidity, Afghanistan will have a great chance to make a tilt at the trophy.

To that end, the eyes will be on Asghar Afghan, the captain, Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi, all of whom struggled against Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, had a wobbly performance with the bat themselves. They were reduced to 1/2, and if it wasn’t for a century from Mushfiqur Rahim and a gritty half-century from Mohammad Mithun, they might not have managed the 261 they did. However, their bowlers were all over Sri Lanka as well, and both sides will expect tougher challenges in their outing on Thursday.

For Bangladesh, it also represents a chance to give the likes of Ariful Haque, Abu Hider and Nazmul Islam, while giving much-needed rest to the likes of Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, both of whom are carrying injuries. Importantly, it’s a chance at trying out someone new at the top of the order, with Tamim Iqbal ruled out of the tournament because of the fractured wrist.

It might be a dead rubber, and in that is an opportunity to fine-tune their plans.

Squads: Afghanistan: Asghar Afghan (c), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Ihsanullah Janat, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Hashmat Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Najibullah Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Aftab Alam, Samiullah Shinwari, Munir Ahmad Kakar (wk), Sayed Ahmad Sherzad, Sharafudin Ashraf, Yamin Ahmadzai

Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Ariful Haque, Mominul Haque, Abu Hider, Rubel Hossain, Tamim Iqbal, Nazmul Islam, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Nazmul Hossain

(With ICC inputs)