In the third ODI, Afghanistan’s opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran delivered a remarkable performance, forming a crucial 256-run partnership. Rahmanullah Gurbaz contributed an impressive 145 runs, while Ibrahim Zadran scored a century (100), leading their team to a formidable total of 331/9 after 50 overs.

Bangladesh’s response fell short as they struggled to deal with Afghanistan’s bowling attack. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb ur Rahman both claimed three wickets each, and Bangladesh was bundled out for a mere 189 runs, sealing their series defeat with one game remaining.

Match Details:

• Series: Afghanistan Tour of Bangladesh, 2023
• Match: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, 3rd ODI
• Date and Time: July 11, Tuesday, 01.30 pm IST
• Venue: Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram

Pitch Report: The pitch at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram offered a balanced playing field, providing assistance to both seamers and spinners. Initially, there was some swing for the fast bowlers, while the spinners came into play later in the game. Throughout the match, batsmen held an advantage, with the average first-innings score ranging from 280 to 300 at this venue.

Weather Forecast: During the match, there was a moderate chance (50 to 60 percent) of rain showers and thunderstorms. The temperature hovered around 29 degrees Celsius, accompanied by high humidity in the 80s.

Probable XIs:

Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Litton Das (c), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Ebadot Hossain.

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Saleem Safi.

Match Prediction: With Afghanistan’s dominant performances throughout the series and Bangladesh’s struggles under new leadership, Afghanistan entered the final match as strong favorites. Their consistent display in both batting and bowling departments placed them in an advantageous position. Therefore, the prediction for the match favored Afghanistan to secure a hat-trick of wins, completing a series sweep.

Prediction: Afghanistan to win the match