Bangladesh’s three-match One-Day International series and two-match T20 series against Afghanistan at home came to an end on Saturday, (March 5). They won the limited-overs series 2-1, while the Twenty20 series ended in a 1-1 draw. Bangladesh team had a mixed performance in both series. On an individual level, several players’ performances were satisfactory for the BCB. Besides, there were also a few disappointing performances. Let’s take a look at Bangladesh’s overall performance and how the players fared in the BAN vs AFG Series 2022.
Bangladesh Cricket Team’s Performance in the BAN vs AFG Series 2022
Afghanistan’s visit to Bangladesh began with a limited-overs series. The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram hosted all of the series’ ODI matches. Following the completion of the ODI series, both teams returned to Dhaka for the T20I series at the SBNCS, Mirpur.
Bangladesh’s Performance in ODI Series
Bangladesh campaign had hoped for a good victory over their opponents in the first match, but their hopes were dashed. Bangladesh were reduced to 45/6 in 11.2 overs when chasing Afghanistan’s 215 runs. The undefeated 174* run partnership between Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz helped the hosts win the match by four wickets.
Bangladesh players went into the second encounter full of confidence after an incredible victory in the first match. Their on-field confidence was reflected in the team’s overall performance. Bangladesh went on to win the vital second One-Day International by 88 runs after scoring a massive 306/4.
Bangladesh would have moved up to sixth place in the ICC ODI rankings if they had won the series 3-0 over Afghanistan. However, the final encounter was a massive failure for the hosts. They were dismissed for 192 runs, which Afghanistan easily chased down in 40.1 overs for the loss of only three wickets.
The hosts won the ODI series 2-1 and climbed to the top of the ICC World Cup Super League points table. Bangladesh team was anticipated to win the series, but failing to whitewash Afghanistan was a major disappointment.
Bangladesh’s Performance in T20I Series
Bangladesh dominated the opening Twenty20 encounter of the series, winning by 61 runs. But as in the ODI series, batters struggled in the final match of the T20I series and they were restricted to 115/9 in the allotted 20 overs. Afghanistan comfortably chased down the target for the loss of two wickets with 14 balls to spare.
Bangladesh had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Afghanistan in the T20I series, which was yet another disappointment. If Bangladesh had won the series 2-0 over Afghanistan, they would have moved up to the seventh position in the ICC T20I standings. Bangladesh have lost nine of their previous ten Twenty20 matches, and the BCB needs an effective plan for the development of the T20 format.
Individual Performances by Bangladesh Players in the Bangladesh-Afghanistan series 2022
Some young Bangladeshi cricketers excelled in the series against Afghanistan. Besides, it was disappointing that the senior cricketers did not perform well on a consistent basis. Let’s take a look at the performance of Bangladesh’s players throughout the series.
Batting
Liton Das’ return to form in the limited-overs format was one of Bangladesh’s most notable achievements in the series. He was the team’s leading scorer with 223 runs. Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz proved that they are ready to take responsibility on the international stage with a superb match-winning partnership in the first ODI. Afif ended the ODI series as Bangladesh’s second-highest run-scorer. Besides, Mushfiqur Rahim scored 86 runs in the second One-Day International.
ODI captain and opener, Tamim Iqbal had a disastrous series, getting out three times in Fazalhaq Farooqi’s bowling. He has to improve his footwork technique, especially when it comes to incoming deliveries. Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad both struggled with the bat in the series. Newcomer, Yasir Ali only made 1 run in three innings.
Liton Das was Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in the T20 format, with 73 runs. His top score of 60 runs came in the first match of the series, which assisted Bangladesh set up a challenging score to defend. Other than him, no other batters stood out in this two-match series. Afif Hossain was the second-highest run-scorer with 32 runs, while skipper Mahmudullah made 31.
Bowling
Shakib Al Hasan took the most wickets for Bangladesh in the ODI series. He took five wickets in three innings. Bangladesh’s front-line pacers — Mustafizur, Taskin, and Shoriful – all performed well in the limited-overs series.
Nasum Ahmed bowled brilliantly in the opening T20I, taking four wickets for only ten runs to help Bangladesh take a 1-0 series lead. He was the most successful bowler for the hosts in the Twenty20 series. In addition, Shakib Al Hasan, Shoriful Islam, and Mustafizur Rahman looked impressive in the first match. However, they all struggled in the second T20I.
Fielding
Bangladesh’s fielding was a major disappointment In the Afghanistan series. They dropped nine catches in five matches, which is a very concerning statistic for a Test-playing nation. Bangladesh’s fielding must be at its best in the upcoming series against South Africa. Otherwise, both the ODI and Test series will be a catastrophe for them.
Way Forward
Bangladesh had high hopes of winning all five of their matches against Afghanistan. They should have won all of the games based on how they started both series. However, the host had struggled in the last matches of each series. Therefore, they were unable to attain the desired result in the BAN vs AFG series 2022.
Bangladesh as a team must develop substantially in order to be more competitive against the South African national team in the next series. Players must be dedicated to improving their individual performances in order to be well equipped to face a formidable Proteas team.
