Originally hired as a wicket-keeping specialist, Pothas was later appointed assistant coach for the national team, responsible for batting as well. His recent appointment as interim coach adds another dimension to his role, and its impact remains to be seen.

Bangladesh’s assistant coach, Nic Pothas, believes that Bangladesh will gain long-term benefits from facing Afghanistan’s formidable spin attack in the ongoing three-match one-day series. Afghanistan has already secured victories in the first two matches, becoming the second team in the past seven years to win an ODI series in Bangladesh, with the other being world champions England.

Praising the Afghan spinners, including Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rashid Khan, and Mohammad Nabi, Pothas acknowledged their world-class abilities. The spin trio has played a crucial role in Afghanistan’s success, sharing 11 wickets between them in the first two matches. According to Pothas, no other team possesses three high-quality spinners who consistently challenge the opposition.

Pothas expressed optimism that facing such a high level of spin bowling will improve Bangladesh’s overall performance. He emphasized that the experience gained from confronting this level of spin will prepare them to face any team, especially with the World Cup approaching in October.

As the third match looms, Bangladesh faces the risk of being whitewashed at home for the first time since their 3-0 defeat to Sri Lanka in 2014. In the previous matches, Bangladesh’s batsmen encountered difficulties against the Afghan spinners, resulting in scores of 169/9 and 189 all out.

Afghanistan’s bowling coach, Hamid Hassan, also praised left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi for his crucial breakthroughs and six-wicket haul in the series. The team has high hopes for Farooqi, considering him as a key bowler for the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup campaigns.

After the ODI series, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will compete in two Twenty20 matches in Sylhet, Bangladesh’s northeastern city, scheduled for Friday and Sunday.

The two teams will meet again in their opening World Cup match on October 7 in India.

Bangladesh assistant coach, Nic Pothas, has advised the hosts not to solely focus on the spin threat posed by Afghanistan in the upcoming home series. Pothas emphasized the potential risks of fixating on a single aspect of the opposition’s game.

Recalling Bangladesh’s humiliating defeat in a one-off Test match against Afghanistan in 2019, where they struggled against the slow bowlers, Pothas acknowledged the impact of star Afghan spinner Rashid Khan, who claimed 11 wickets in that game with support from other spinners.

However, Pothas, a former South African cricketer appointed to the Bangladesh team in April, highlighted the importance of not underestimating Afghanistan’s pace unit as well. He emphasized the need to address the seam threat before encountering spin, cautioning against allocating excessive attention to spin and finding themselves in trouble against the seamers.

Pothas expressed enthusiasm for the challenge and stressed the significance of strategic analysis and preparation, comparing a Test match to a game of chess. He acknowledged that Bangladesh has made progress in limited-overs cricket but still faces batting challenges in the longer format, as witnessed in the ongoing series against West Indies A.

Regarding the batting concerns, Pothas stated that he needs time to observe the players and understand their approach before implementing any significant changes. He acknowledged that every team goes through waves of success and believes that Bangladesh has the potential to improve in Test cricket based on the abilities displayed by the players in training.

The Afghanistan cricket team is set to arrive in Dhaka on June 10 for the series, which includes a Test match, three ODIs in India, and three ODIs and two T20Is in Bangladesh. The series will conclude with the T20Is in Sylhet on July 14 and 16.