Afghanistan ready to bounce back
ASIA CUP: SUPER FOUR AFGHANISTAN VS BANGLADESH
Abu Dhabi, UAE - Afghanistan coach Phil Simmons has said his side will take nothing for granted in its Asia Cup Super Four clash against Bangladesh, despite dominating Sunday’s opponents in recent matches. The match begins at 3.30pm, Oman time.
Afghanistan has won its past four matches in all formats against Bangladesh, including a 136-run win in the Asia Cup group stage and a 3-0 whitewash in a Twenty20 series in Bangladesh in June.
On Sunday, the two sides meet again at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, with Afghanistan looking to bounce back from its narrow defeat to Pakistan in its Super Four opener on Friday.
“It’s another game and we go about like what we do ahead for every match,” said Simmons on Friday after the three-wicket loss to Pakistan.
“First of all we are going to get some rest on Saturday and then assess how we play on Sunday.
“It’s an important game for both of us, even for pride. We are going to take this seriously as we did the other day.”
Afghanistan topped Group B after victories over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and gave Pakistan a real fright before losing with three balls to spare.
“It was a bit disappointing,” Simmons added. “It’s a case where we didn’t score more runs on a good wicket.”
Bangladesh hasn't had it so easy. Tamim Iqbal's injury-enforced absence has unsettled the top order. The lack of form of the younger batsmen such as Liton Das, Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Mosaddek Hossain has led the selectors to add Soumya Sarkar and Imrul Kayes to the squad. Whether this will relieve the pressure on the three main batsmen - Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib al Hasan and Mahmudullah - remains to be seen.
"We have had collapses in two successive matches. It does make the dressing-room worried when we lose two early wickets. We managed to recover in the first game but we faced world-class bowlers against Afghanistan and India. We have to ensure more partnerships so that we don't go out of the contest before the first 30 overs," said Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza.
Both teams are in the same situation, effectively, as far as the tournament goes, but at the moment Afghanistan looks clear favourite, its spinners itching to go at an under-pressure batting line-up that has failed to cross 200 in successive games.