Shakib Al Hasan demonstrated his strategic prowess by winning the toss for the second consecutive time in the Asia Cup. Once again, he chose to set a target and opted for Bangladesh to bat first in a high-stakes encounter against Afghanistan. The stage was set at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday.

Following a disappointing five-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in their opening match, the Bangladesh Tigers have made significant alterations to their XI. They introduced three new faces, with Shamim Hossain, Afif Hossain, and Hasan Mahmud stepping in to replace Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mahedi Hasan, and Mustafizur Rahman.

Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who commenced his ODI career with a duck, will need to bide his time for another opportunity as the management has decided to rest him. Instead, all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz is likely to partner with Mohammad Naim at the opening slot.

To bolster the lower middle-order, the management has chosen Shamim and Afif, aiming to fortify their batting lineup after the underwhelming performance against Sri Lanka.

In contrast, this match marks Afghanistan’s debut in this year’s Asia Cup. A victory for the Afghan side in this encounter would result in Bangladesh’s elimination from the tournament, securing Afghanistan and Sri Lanka’s passage to the Super 4 phase.