BAN vs AFG: The preparations of Bangladesh for the upcoming series against Afghanistan have suffered a major blow, as their star batter Soumya Sarkar is set to miss the opener of the T20I series because of visa issues.
The game, to be played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on October 2, is one of a three-match T20I series involving Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Sarkar’s absence is the added woes for the Bangladesh team as they are also contending with regular skipper Litton Das’ injury.
Soumya Sarkar’s Visa Problem Might Bar Him from the First BAN vs AFG T20I
Soumya Sarkar’s availability for the series opener is in doubt as his UAE visa is yet to be cleared. A Bangladesh Cricket Board official assured Cricbuzz that Sarkar hasn’t got his visa till September 30 and there are chances it may take three days for clearance. If the visa is delayed, the batter will miss the all-important first match of the series. But if it is cleared on time, he will report to the team immediately.
Impact of Litton Das’s Absence
This comes in the wake of the previous setback of the non-availability of Litton Das for the series, who was out after a side muscle strain he suffered ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match in Dubai. With Litton and possibly Soumya out of the team, Bangladesh has their work cut out as they approach the series.
Sarkar’s Recent Form and Role in the Team
Even though he missed the first T20I, Sarkar was again named in the T20I team after good performances in NCL T20. He made 63 and 45 runs in his first two games, earning his recall for the Afghan series. The team was expecting his comeback to strengthen their batting department, but his delayed visa now raises questions about his availability.
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Bangladesh’s Interim Captaincy: Jaker Ali Anik Steps Up
With Litton Das ruled out, Jaker Ali Anik was named the stand-in captain for the Afghanistan T20I series. Jaker earlier took charge as captain for Bangladesh’s last two matches in Asia Cup Super Four after Litton was injured while training for the game against India in Dubai. This makes Jaker’s captaincy even more vital in the absence of experienced players.
Bangladesh Team for Afghanistan T20I Series
Below is the complete Bangladesh T20I team for the series against Afghanistan:
Jaker Ali Anik (C)
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Tanzid Hasan
Parvez Hossain Emon
Saif Hassan
Tawhid Hridoy
Shamim Hossain
Nurul Hasan Sohan
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Rishad Hossain
Shak Mahedi Hasan
Nasum Ahmed
Taskin Ahmed
Tanzim Hasan Sakib
Mustafizur Rahman
Shoriful Islam
Md Shaif Uddin
Soumya Sarkar (subject to visa clearance)
Schedule for T20I Between Afghanistan and Bangladesh
The Afghanistan vs Bangladesh T20I series will take place from October 2 to October 5, with the three games being held as follows:
1st T20I: October 2, Thursday – Sharjah
2nd T20I: October 3, Friday – Sharjah
3rd T20I: October 5, Sunday – Sharjah
After that, the two sides will also contest three ODIs, which will contribute to the fierce rivalry ahead.
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