The ninth clash of the Asia Cup 2025 will see Bangladesh take on Afghanistan at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, September 16. Both sides enter the contest with mixed fortunes, making this game crucial for their campaign.
Bangladesh’s Journey So Far
The Bengal Tigers kicked off their tournament strongly with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Hong Kong. However, their momentum slipped in the second outing, where they fell short against Sri Lanka, suffering a six-wicket defeat. Bangladesh will now look to bounce back and strengthen their position in the group stages.
Afghanistan’s Recent Form
On the other hand, Afghanistan are high on confidence after a dominant 94-run win against Hong Kong. With solid performances from both their batters and bowlers, they will aim to carry that winning rhythm into this fixture against Bangladesh.
BAN vs AFG Head-to-Head Record
- Matches Played: 12
- Bangladesh Wins: 5
- Afghanistan Wins: 7
- Tied: 0
- First Meeting: March 16, 2014
- Last Meeting: June 25, 2024
Afghanistan hold a slight edge in the overall head-to-head record, but Bangladesh’s experience in big matches keeps the contest finely balanced.
Sheikh Zayed Stadium Pitch Report – BAN vs AFG Asia Cup 2025
The Abu Dhabi pitch has offered something for both batters and bowlers in the Asia Cup so far. Teams with attacking intent have scored freely, while bowlers have also found movement and assistance. The average first-innings score here is around 135. With hot weather conditions forecast, the captain winning the toss is likely to prefer bowling first.
BAN vs AFG Key Players to Watch
Probable Best Batter – Litton Das (Bangladesh):
Bangladesh skipper Litton Das has been in superb touch, starting the tournament with a match-winning 59 against Hong Kong, followed by a solid 28 against Sri Lanka. As the leading run-scorer of the Asia Cup 2025 so far, he will be Bangladesh’s main hope with the bat once again.
Probable Best Bowler – Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan):
All-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai could be the difference-maker with the ball. In Afghanistan’s previous game against Hong Kong, the right-arm pacer bowled an economical spell, taking one wicket for just four runs in his two overs. His ability to pick wickets early will be crucial against Bangladesh’s top order.
Bangladesh vs Afghanistan – Match Prediction
Both teams have shown glimpses of brilliance, but consistency will be the deciding factor. Given the conditions and recent form, the side bowling first may hold the advantage in this contest.
Today’s Prediction: Team bowling first to win the match.
Probable Playing XI – Afghanistan (AFG)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Sediqullah Atal
- Gulbadin Naib
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Mohammad Nabi
- Karim Janat
- Rashid Khan (c)
- Noor Ahmad
- AM Ghazanfar
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
⚠️ Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the author’s analysis and available data. Please consider the statistics and form before making your own judgment.
