Shoriful Islam recognized Afghanistan’s strong team and noted that their experience in global leagues has given Afghan players an advantage over Bangladeshi players.
Over the past 6-7 years, Afghan players have regularly participated in major leagues like the IPL, Big Bash, PSL, and CPL, with their demand increasing each year. This experience has greatly improved the performance of the Afghan national team, as seen in their recent accomplishments: reaching the T20 World Cup semifinals last year, finishing in the top five in the ODI World Cup, and winning a recent ODI series against South Africa 2-1.
Shoriful believes that playing in high-quality leagues has enhanced the Afghan players’ skills in international matches. He said, “Playing in so many leagues has given them an edge. Competing with big-name players changes your approach. We are also progressing, and in a few years, you’ll see better results from us.”
The series, hosted by Afghanistan, will take place in the United Arab Emirates, starting with the first ODI on November 6, followed by matches on November 9 and 11. Shoriful expects a competitive series, noting that Afghanistan often trains in the UAE, making it feel like a home ground for them.
“I think it’ll be a tough fight against Afghanistan. They train mostly in the UAE, so it’s like a home venue for them. But if we arrive early and practice, I believe we’ll come out victorious, In Shaa Allah,” he added.
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This series was originally scheduled for July-August but was postponed due to extreme heat in the UAE and India. Afghanistan usually holds its ‘home’ matches in the UAE.