Bangladesh and Afghanistan will face each other in the third match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Saturday, October 7, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. Both teams will be looking to start their campaign on a positive note and gain some momentum for the rest of the tournament.
Bangladesh and Afghanistan have played 22 matches against each other in all formats of cricket, with Bangladesh winning 11 and Afghanistan winning 11. In ODIs, they have met six times, with Bangladesh winning four and Afghanistan winning two. The last ODI between them was in September 2023, during the Asia Cup, where Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by 89 runs in Lahore. M. Hasan of Bangladesh scored 112 runs and took one wicket to win the player of the match award.
In the World Cup, they have played only once, in 2019, where Bangladesh won by 62 runs in Southampton. Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh scored 51 runs and took five wickets to win the player of the match award.
Bangladesh have been in decent form in ODIs recently, winning four of their last six matches. They beat Zimbabwe 3-0 at home in July 2023, before losing to Pakistan 2-1 away in August 2023. They also won their only warm-up match against England by four wickets in Dharamsala on October 4.
Afghanistan have been inconsistent in ODIs lately, winning three and losing three of their last six matches. They lost to Ireland 2-1 away in June 2023, before beating Zimbabwe 2-1 at home in August 2023. They also lost their only warm-up match against Sri Lanka by seven wickets in Dharamsala on October 3.
Bangladesh have a balanced squad with experienced players and young talents. Their captain Shakib Al Hasan is one of the best all-rounders in the world, who can score runs and take wickets with his left-arm spin. He is also the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker for Bangladesh in ODIs. Other key players for Bangladesh are opener Tamim Iqbal, who is the most capped player and the second-highest run-scorer for his team in ODIs, wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim, who is the third-highest run-scorer and has the most dismissals for his team in ODIs, fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who is the second-highest wicket-taker for his team in ODIs and has a knack of picking up crucial wickets with his variations, and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who is the third-highest wicket-taker for his team in ODIs and can also contribute with the bat.
Afghanistan have a strong squad with some explosive players and quality spinners. Their captain Rashid Khan is one of the best leg-spinners in the world, who can bamboozle batsmen with his variations and also score quick runs with the bat. He is also the leading wicket-taker for Afghanistan in ODIs. Other key players for Afghanistan are opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who is the second-highest run-scorer for his team in ODIs and has a strike rate of over 100, middle-order batsman Mohammad Nabi, who is the third-highest run-scorer and the second-highest wicket-taker for his team in ODIs and can play both attacking and anchoring roles with the bat, fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq, who is the third-highest wicket-taker for his team in ODIs and can bowl at good pace and swing the ball both ways, and spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is the fourth-highest wicket-taker for his team in ODIs and can bowl with accuracy and variation.
Bangladesh are the favourites to win this match, as they have more experience and depth than Afghanistan. They also have a better head-to-head record against them in ODIs and have won their last two matches against them convincingly. However, Afghanistan are not to be underestimated, as they have some dangerous players who can turn the game on its head. They also have a strong spin attack that can trouble any batting line-up.
The betting odds for this match are as follows:
These odds mean that if you bet $100 on Bangladesh, you will win $172.73, and if you bet $100 on Afghanistan, you will win $220. The odds are in favour of Bangladesh, as they are considered the stronger team and have a better record against Afghanistan.
The third match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 between Bangladesh and Afghanistan promises to be an exciting contest, as both teams will be eager to start their campaign with a win. Bangladesh have the edge over Afghanistan in terms of experience and form, but Afghanistan have the potential to cause an upset with their explosive players and spinners. The match will be played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, which is expected to offer a good batting surface and some assistance for the spinners.
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