Bangladesh take on Afghanistan in match 9 of the Asia Cup 2025
Key battles for BAN Vs AFG match that will be played in Abu Dhabi
AFG won their opening game against HKG
Afghanistan will look to make it two wins out of two in match 9 of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025 when they play Bangladesh on Tuesday, September 16 in Abu Dhabi. The Rashid Khan-led side started off the tournament with a comprehensive victory over Hong Kong by 94 runs.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka, who also won their first game of the tournament against Hong Kong, suffered an embarrassing 6-wicket loss against Sri Lanka. If they lose this match, they'd be eliminated from the tournament right away along with Hong Kong.
Bangladesh Vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2025 Match 9: Three Key Battles
Rashid Khan Vs Litton Das
The duel between Rashid Khan and Litton Das could define the middle overs in this Asia Cup T20 clash. Rashid, Afghanistan’s captain and the most prolific wicket-taker in T20Is, thrives on breaking partnerships with his sharp googlies and quick leg-spin. Litton, the captain of Bangladesh, has been in good touch with the bat, scoring consistent fifties for the team in the build-up.
Taskin Ahmed Vs Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Taskin Ahmed missed the second match of the tournament due to an injury. However, he is likely to be back in the squad for the third match. His new-ball spells will be crucial against the aggressive Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The Bangladeshi pacer has dismissed Gurbaz a few times in previous meetings by using pace and bounce to draw mistakes. But Gurbaz rarely holds back in the powerplay, and if he connects early, he could swing the momentum Afghanistan’s way before Taskin settles into his rhythm.
Mustafizur Rahman Vs Ibrahim Zadran
Mustafizur Rahman’s clever cutters and changes of pace are a challenge for any top-order batter, and Ibrahim Zadran will need to be watchful against him. The Afghan batter has shown the ability to play long, steady innings, but Mustafizur’s knack for striking early and breaking partnerships makes this a key contest. If Zadran can weather Mustafizur’s variations, Afghanistan’s middle order will have a solid platform to build on.
Bangladesh Vs Afghanistan Squads
Afghanistan: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan(c), Noor Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Darwish Rasooli, Sharafuddin Ashraf
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Litton Das(w/c), Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Saif Hassan, Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Nurul Hasan
