Taming Rashid key to keeping series alive

Bangladesh will face Afghanistan in a do-or-die second ODI today in Abu Dhabi, where a defeat would hand them their third-successive series defeat in the format against the Afghans.

The Tigers lost the first match by five wickets on Wednesday, which exposed many of their frailties in the batting department.

Ahead of the do-or-die tie, Bangladesh would be hoping to sort out their slow middle-over batting, underconfident top order and most importantly find an answer to Afghan spin wizard Rashid Khan.

Skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh's highest run-getter against Afghanistan in ODIs with 471 runs in 12 innings, has usually been the answer to the riddles that the Afghans serve.

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However, he has often been guilty of slowing down the run-scoring through the middle-overs as his strike rate against the opponents is a measly 67.38.

His sluggish scoring rate emerged as a problem in the first ODI as well, when the duo of Miraz and Tawhid Hridoy put on a 101-run partnership off 142 deliveries.

Still, their fourth wicket stand had provided some sort of a platform, taking the side from 53-3 to 154-4. But Bangladesh could not capitalise on it because of Rashid, in particular his googlies.

Two googlies and a straighter one later, Rashid had swept through Bangladesh's middle-order resistance, accounting for Miraz, Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan, all three right-handers out leg-before.

Even in the T20I series which Tigers swept 3-0, Rashid's effect was visible.

Rashid bagged four for 18 in the first, two for 29 in the second and went wicketless for 13 in the third T20I. Jaker in particular found it tough to counter him, twice getting trapped leg-before by him in the T20I series.

It remains to be seen whether the Tigers effect a personnel change in the middle-order -- they have the option of bringing in the left-hander Shamim Hossain-- or shuffle the batting order to keep Rashid at bay.

Bangladesh were all out 221 in the last game. Since this year's ICC Champions Trophy, Bangladesh's highest score with the bat has been 248 against Sri Lanka in the second ODI in Colombo, giving an idea of the batting struggles in the format.

The top-order too has not been clicking. Opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim has got starts in five of his last six innings and yet has just one fifty to show for his troubles.

Saif Hassan, who made his ODI debut in the last game, has to sink his teeth into the format quickly while former skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto needs to snap out of his timid mindset in ODIs and get the top order back into some shape.

Partnerships are important but Tigers must ensure they have impact too. Afghanistan found contributions and meaningful partnerships from likes of Rahmat Shah and Mohammad Nabi. Tigers need to effect the right changes to keep the series interesting or risk falling prey to Rashid again.