BAN vs AFG: Afghanistan playing XI vs Bangladesh, Match 3, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - Predicted

Afghanistan will open their campaign with a game against Bangladesh on Saturday in Dharamsala in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 began on October 5 (Friday). The cricket carnival will soon catch its full colors. To make it more interesting, two rival teams from sub-continent will come up against each other to spice up the tournament. The third game of the competition will see a clash between Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

This match will be played on Saturday (October 7) at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. Both teams will be eyeing starting the tournament with a win to gain momentum. Though Bangladesh have a better record than Afghanistan, Afghan team have played good cricket recently. We will talk about the predicted playing XI for Afghanistan against Bangladesh.

BAN vs AFG: Afghanistan's Predicted playing XI vs Bangladesh

1. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) :

Five centuries in just 25 innings is pretty impressive, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the biggest wicket for Afghanistan at the top of the order. He is in form and has been scoring runs consistently for his team. He has scored 294 runs in seven innings at an average of 49 against Bangladesh and will have a great chance to kick off the tournament with a good innings.

2. Ibrahim Zadran :

A batting average of 53.53 is commendable in any form. Ibrahim Zadran is one half of the brilliant opening pair for Afghanistan. The right-hander has been in brilliant form and will look to carry on the same against Bangladesh. In five ODIs, he has scored 136 runs at an average of 59 against Bangladesh.

3. Rahmat Shah :

Rahmat Shah has been the perfect No. 3 for his team. He brings a lot of experience to the team and has batted in various situations in his career. Rahmat has played 13 games against Bangladesh, scored 318 runs, and knows how to tackle the spinners. Rahmat will have a big role if he takes an early wicket.

4. Hashmatullah Shahidi (C) :

Afghan captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, bats at No. 4. He is a pretty handy batter, and he has scored some important knocks in his career. Hashmatullah has scored 1175 runs at 32.27 in his ODI career, while against Bangladesh, he has scored 345 runs in 13 games. Being a captain, he will look to make an impact to help his team win.

5. Najibullah Zadran :

Najibullah Zadran is a powerful striker in the middle for his team. He plays spin and pace both pretty well, which helps him score runs quickly. Zadran has played some good innings in the last few games and can be the finisher his team wants. Being a left-hander, he can take on Bangladeshi left-armer spinners pretty well.

6. Mohammad Nabi :

Mohammad Nabi is the most experienced player on the team. His contribution with both bat and ball gives the team a perfect balance in any big tournament. The 38-year-old is probably playing his last World Cup, and he will do everything to take his team a long way in the tournament. In 15 ODIs against Bangladesh, Nabi has taken 17 wickets and scored 262 runs.

7. Azmatullah Omarzai :

Pace bowling all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai is another key player in the team. He bats as a finisher and bowls as medium pacer in the middle-overs. He has played five games against Bangladesh, scored 67 runs with two wickets, and has been a regular member of the team. Omarzai can bat anywhere and has a knack for breaking partnerships.

8. Rashid Khan :

Rashid Khan is the biggest superstar on Afghan team and can change the game in any given situation. If he starts taking wickets, the opposition can feel pressure right away. He has also improved as a batter and can throw a few big shots. Rashid can be a threat for Bangladesh and can be the match-winner.

9. Mujeeb Ur Rahman :

Mujeeb Ur Rahman is another quality spinner that can turn the ball both ways. He is the mystery on the team and can bowl in the power-play. That is why he is as important as Rashid is to the team. Mujeeb has played ten matches against Bangladesh and has taken 13 wickets so far.

10. Fazalhaq Farooqi :

Fazalhaq Farooqi is the main bowler for Afghanistan with the new ball. Being a left-arm pacer, he tends to bring the ball in to the right-hander and take it away from the left-hander. His stock balls can trouble any bowler. He depends a lot on swing, and Dharamsala is an ideal venue for him, but he can be hard to handle.

11. Naveen-ul-Haq :

Naveen-ul-Haq is the second pacer in the side that bowled a lot in India during the IPL. His real strength is to bowl yorkers and variatons, which makes it difficult for the bowler to pick. Naveen announced that after the World Cup 2023, he will retire from ODIs, so we can expect some brilliant performances from him.