Last Updated on 3 weeks by Charbel Coorey

Bangladesh are in must-win territory in the 9th match of the 2025 Asia Cup. The Tigers were disappointing in their defeat against Sri Lanka, lacking batting impact in an all-too-familiar occurrence. After a poor start, they never recovered.

It won’t get much easier here. They tackle Afghanistan who themselves have a high-quality spin attack and strong knowledge of the Abu Dhabi conditions. The Afghans come into this game after a week’s break, which should have allowed them to improve on certain aspects of their game including their top order batting and fielding.

Victory for Afghanistan will seal a Super Four spot. If Bangladesh win, they’ll need Afghanistan to beat Sri Lanka in the final game. It’s all to play for, with the spotlight on Bangladesh’s batters in particular against the Afghan bowling attack. If they get stuck and are unable to find the boundary, it could be another tough day.

Asia Cup 2025 9th Match: BAN vs AFG Probable Playing XIs

Bangladesh: 1. Tanzid Hasan/Saif Hassan, 2. Parvez Hossain Emon, 3. Litton Das (c & wk), 4. Towhid Hridoy, 5. Shamim Hossain, 6. Jaker Ali, 7. Mahedi Hasan, 8. Tanzim Hasan, 9. Rishad Hossain, 10. Taskin Ahmed, 11. Mustafizur Rahman

Afghanistan: 1. Sediqullah Atal, 2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3. Ibrahim Zadran, 4. Mohammad Nabi, 5. Gulbadin Naib, 6. Azmatullah Omarzai, 7. Karim Janat, 8. Rashid Khan (c), 9. Noor Ahmad, 10. AM Ghazanfar, 11. Fazalhaq Farooqi

Sheikh Zayed Stadium Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

The Abu Dhabi surfaces have been good for batting so far in this Asia Cup. Conditions looked excellent for the batters in the UAE-Oman game on Monday. That was a day game where dew wasn’t a factor, so chasing may still be preferred here.

The team batting second won two games before that UAE-Oman game. Another warm and clear evening is forecast.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for BAN vs AFG: Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top wicket-keeper picks:

• The spotlight is on Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Afghanistan’s keeper-batsman has lacked form recently and has a poor record against Bangladesh in T20Is: 8 inns, 110 runs, avg. 13.75, SR 88.70. However, he is worth considering for Dream11 given his potential.
• A lot rests on Litton Das for Bangladesh. He has the most runs in BAN-AFG T20Is (227) at an average of 25.22 and strike rate that needs a lift (109.66).

Key batter picks:

• Sediqullah Atal top scored in Afghanistan’s tournament opener against Hong Kong (73* off 52 balls). He also scored two half-centuries in the recent tri-series against UAE and Pakistan.
• Ibrahim Zadran missed out in the last two T20Is, but did show solid form in the recent tri-series with scores of 63 (vs UAE), 65 (vs Pakistan) and 48 (vs UAE). He is one of the premier batters in Afghanistan cricket and is capable of scoring well.

Top all-rounder picks:

• Pick Azmatullah Omarzai with confidence. The in-form all-rounder is a genuine captaincy option, especially if Afghanistan bat first. He struck a 21-ball 53 against Hong Kong and moved the ball upfront. Against Bangladesh’s shaky top order, Omarzai will fancy his chances again.

Key bowler picks:

• Rashid Khan is a genuine c/vc option in Dream11. The Afghan captain has dominated Bangladesh in T20Is, taking 22 wickets in 11 matches (avg. 10.54, SR 11.45).
• Taskin Ahmed, who has taken 14 wickets in his last five T20Is, is expected to return in this clash. He has a good matchup against Gurbaz in T20Is (27 balls, 24 runs, two wickets).
• Fazalhaq Farooqi strikes every 18 deliveries against Bangladesh in T20Is. Here, he can test Bangladesh’s shaky top order and finishing in the crunch overs.
• Noor Ahmad is a genuine, proven wicket-taker. Bangladesh’s shaky T20I batting represents an opportunity for Noor to grab 1-2 wickets.

Other Players to Consider for your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Twohid Hridoy has 80 runs in three T20Is against Afghanistan at an average of 40.00 and strike rate of 137.93.
• Mustafizur Rahman is seeking his best wicket-taking form. He takes less than one wicket per game against Afghanistan (six wickets in eight games). He has a good record against Gurbaz in all T20s: 45 balls, 45 runs, two wickets.
• Mohammad Nabi didn’t bowl against Hong Kong. The veteran can still be a good fantasy pick as he bats up the order.
• AM Ghazanfar can be a good differential pick. Bangladesh have had their issues against mystery spin in the past. Expect Ghazanfar to play a role in the powerplay.
• Tanzim Hasan Sakib has been solid in this Asia Cup, with three wickets in two matches so far.

Stats and Other Matchups

• Head-to-head in T20Is: Matches 12, Afghanistan 7, Bangladesh 5.
• Rashid Khan has had the better of Towhid Hridoy in all white-ball internationals (ODIs and T20Is): 58 balls, 31 runs, four wickets.
• Mahedi Hasan has an important role to play against Sediqullah Atal. The Afghan opener averages just 19.2 with a strike rate of 106.7 against offspin in all T20s.

Asia Cup 2025 9th Match: BAN vs AFG Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams. 

Option 1:

Option 2:

Asia Cup 2025 9th Match: BAN vs AFG Match Prediction: Who will win?

This has the potential to be a close match. However, Afghanistan look a more well-rounded team for T20I cricket. They will win and seal their passage to the Super Four.

Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes for Dream11 free contests in line with the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The stats and writer’s views are in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.