Asia Cup 2022: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan - Match 3 Preview, Predicted Playing XI, Live Streaming

In match 3 of the Asia Cup 2022, Bangladesh will lock horns with Afghanistan (Image Source: Twitter)

The Asia Cup 2022 got off to a great start with Afghanistan upsetting Sri Lanka and India thumping Pakistan in two matches played so far. The winner of the tournament is predicted to be India or Pakistan with both teams likely to meet again in the finals of the Asia Cup this year. 

The third match between Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be played on Tuesday (August 30) at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Let's take a look at the match preview for match 3 of the Asia Cup 2022:

Team News

Bangladesh:

Bangladesh will look to get off to a great start in the Asia Cup after their poor performances in the ODI and T20I series against Zimbabwe. Afghanistan are in tremendous form and the Bangla tigers, led by Shakib Al Hasan, have to be cautious of the opponent. 

Shakib Al Hasan will be vital for Bangladesh and his experience might come in handy at crucial times. His captaincy will be a plus for the Bangla tigers alongside Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman. 

Players to watch out for:

1) Shakib Al Hasan:

The all-rounder has fared well for Bangladesh and is considered to be the best in terms of all-rounders. His contribution with both bat and ball will be vital for his team. The 35-year-old will have to take wise decisions as a captain and will definitely be a player to watch out for. 

2) Taskin Ahmed:

The star pacer has been Bangladesh's go-to in white-ball cricket. He managed to bag a five-for to his name in his debut match against India and has been a part of the setup for a while now. 

3) Mustafizur Rahman:

Mustafizur Rahman will try to do all he can to provide breakthroughs for the Bangla tigers at regular intervals. His experience and variations make him a player to watch out for in the upcoming match against Afghanistan. 

Predicted Playing XI: Mohammad Naim, Sabbir Rahman, Anamul Haque (wk), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mehidy Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain

Afghanistan:

Afghanistan will march on to this game with supreme confidence after having defeated Sri Lanka in the first match within eleven overs. The openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz will be vital up front and the spinner Rashid Khan will have to do well against the experienced Bangladesh team. 

Players to watch out for:

1) Rahmanullah Gurbaz:

The opener played a stellar knock the other night as he made a quick forty off just eighteen balls, comprising of 4 sixes and 3 fours. He will be crucial for Afghanistan as he can provide an aggressive start for his team. 

2) Hazratullah Zazai:

The Afghanistan sensation opened the innings alongside Rahmanullah Gurbaz the other day and remained unbeaten till the end to take his team through. He remained unbeaten on a well-made 37 off 28 balls, comprising of five 4s and one 6. 

3) Rashid Khan:

The spinner's records speak for himself and he will be crucial for Afghanistan as they are heavily dependent on the star spinner. He is definitely a player to watch out for and might produce a magical spell yet again. 

Predicted Playing XI: Najibullah Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohammad Nabi (c), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Karim Janat

Pitch Report:

Sharjah Cricket Stadium's surface favors batting and teams winning the toss can take advantage of the smaller size of the stadium to put pressure on chasing teams. The average first innings score at this ground is 169 and it will be a good total to defend. 

Match Details:

Match 3, Bangladesh vs Afghanistan

Date: 30th August 2022

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Timing: 7:30pm IST

Live Telecast: Star Sports Network

Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar