The first of a two-match T20I series between Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be played at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium tomorrow. After the home team was found wanting during the ODI series, they would want to prove their dominance in the shortest format now. The pitch in Sylhet has generally produced competitive T20 matches.
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Senior all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will be leading Bangladesh and he will be their most important player as well. There are some big-hitters in the batting department but they are relatively inexperienced. Mustafizur Rahman will again head the pace department of the side. The spin duo of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nasum Ahmed are expected to trouble the opposition.
Afghanistan’s T20I side will be led by Rashid Khan. It is safe to say that Khan can now be considered as an all-rounder. Experienced wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Shahzad is back in the setup and he is one of the fan-favourites. This side is full of T20 match-winners especially with the ball in hand.
Sylhet International Cricket Stadium Pitch Report For BAN vs AFG 1st T20I
Sylhet International Cricket Stadium’s pitch is one of the better tracks for batters in Bangladesh. The last T20I played here was almost five years ago. A total of eight Bangladesh Premier League 2023 matches were played here earlier this year. It was a competitive track in each one of those games.
The average BPL 2023 first innings score at this ground was 164 runs. Six out of eight matches were won by the teams batting second. This is one of those rare pitches in the country where the pacers have done better than the spinners. An overcast day is expected and the pacers will again be vital in these conditions.
The boundaries at this venue are not that huge which will encourage the batters to cross the ropes. We can expect a decent batting wicket in this match as well. Looking at the conditions, chasing would be the best option after winning the toss. Anything around 170 runs can set a good contest between both sides.
