Key Players:

For Afghanistan, the probable opening pair is Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Seasoned wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad has returned to the national squad, although it’s unlikely he’ll feature immediately.

On the Bangladesh side, team captain Shakib Al Hasan, who recently accomplished the milestone of 14,000 international cricket runs, will be one to watch. Fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud, along with middle-order batsman Towhid Hridoy, who demonstrated a commendable performance in the ODIs, will be vital players for the team. Other essential contributors include Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Pitch and Weather Report:

The pitch at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium is expected to be balanced, with runs being available, but spinners may get the upper hand as the game advances. Toss-winning captain will likely choose to field first.

The weather forecast suggests a possibility of rain that might cause interruptions in the match, possibly leading to the implementation of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. The temperature is predicted to stay around 30 degrees Celsius.

Probable XIs:

Bangladesh: Rony Talukdar, Litton Das (WK), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib Al Hasan (C), Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain Dhrubo, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, and Mustafizur Rahman.

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (C), Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad.

Match Prediction:

The match promises a close competition, with both teams bringing significant strengths to the table. However, considering Bangladesh’s recent victory over England and the home ground advantage, they are slightly favored to emerge victorious in this contest.

Our prediction: Bangladesh will win the match.