Bangladesh will be desperate to avoid a whitewash when they face Afghanistan in the third and final ODI on Tuesday evening in Abu Dhabi. The match is set to begin at 6pm local time at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Having already lost the first two matches of the series, Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s side have little to play for other than pride. Bangladesh were last whitewashed in a one-day international series during their West Indies tour in November and December 2024. Miraz was also captain on that occasion, although he was serving in an interim role at the time. Since taking over the job full-time, the all-rounder has yet to inspire a turnaround in fortunes.
While the bowlers, particularly the pace attack, have impressed, Bangladesh’s batting has failed to deliver. In the opening match, they managed 221 runs but still lost by five wickets. The 169 dot balls faced by the batters played a significant part in that defeat.
The second ODI was even more disappointing. Set a target of just 191, Bangladesh were bowled out for 109. Rashid Khan led the Afghan bowling with five wickets for 17 runs in a devastating spell.
To avoid a 3–0 defeat, Bangladesh must find a way to counter Rashid once again, along with Azmatullah Omarzai, who has taken six wickets across the first two matches. The right-arm pacer has consistently troubled the top order throughout the series.
There is also growing concern over Najmul Hossain Shanto’s form at number three. Since scoring 77 against New Zealand in Rawalpindi, his returns in the last five innings have been 23, 14, 0, 2 and 7. His poor form has added pressure to a middle order already struggling to contribute. Towhid Hridoy, Mehidy Miraz, Zakir Ali and Nurul Hasan Sohan have all failed to score runs consistently. To add stability to the batting line-up, Shamim Patwari may be recalled to the playing eleven.
Afghanistan, for their part, have also shown signs of weakness in their batting, particularly against left-arm spin and pace, a trend that has continued from the recent T20I series.
Nevertheless, the broader concern for Bangladesh is their form in ODIs. They have won just one of their last eight series, that coming at home against Sri Lanka in March 2024. With little to gain but plenty to prove, the final match presents a chance to avoid further disappointment.
