'Bowling is our strength'
The Afghanistan team have been low-key in their time so far in Dhaka, going about their business quietly since touching down in the Bangladesh capital on September 21. But if reminders were needed that this is a dangerous collection of cricketers who often exceed in performance their status as an Associate Member nation, the home fans got that when they came out trumps in their warm-up match against the BCB XI in Fatullah yesterday.
Mirwais Ashraf, a medium pacer and a useful lower-order batsman, was instrumental in the win as he carried the team to 233 with a 19-ball 32 after coming in at 178 for six, before bowling a miserly spell of three overs for four runs as BCB XI were strangled to a 66-run defeat. Although it wasn't a full-strength Bangladesh side they beat, Mirwais was more than happy with their first match on tour.
"This was a great preparation for us after the 20 days we spent training in India. We played positive cricket and gave Bangladesh [BCB XI] a tough time," he said after the match.
It is common knowledge among cricket fans that their varied bowling arsenal is where Afghanistan excel. That was on display yesterday as pacers Farid Ahmad and Karim Janat and spinners Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan combined to kill off BCB XI's hopes of a win.
"Afghanistan's bowling is a key area. It has leg-spin, left-arm spin, off-break bowlers and the pace attack.
"Fareed and Janat are young and talented seam bowlers and have the ability to swing the ball both ways. Bangladesh wickets are good for our spin department. It was tough to chase today, because there was spin in the wicket," Mirwais added.
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