Trott relives past wins ahead of Bangladesh clash

Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott believes his side will walk into their Asia Cup Group B clash against Bangladesh as "slight favourites." For Bangladesh, however, the fixture in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday carries the weight of a must-win situation, and recent history suggests the Afghans have reasons to be confident.

"Since I've been with the side, we've had some memorable moments," Trott said on the eve of the contest. "I think back to when we beat Bangladesh in a 50-over series in Bangladesh for the first time [in 2023]. It had never been done before, and given how strong Bangladesh have been at home, to go there and do that gave us a lot of confidence and positivity.

"Then there was the win in St Vincent at the [2024] T20 World Cup, which helped us qualify for the semi-final. That was such a tight, historic game, and it gave us great belief. This group I'm currently working with is not shy about achieving new things or breaking new ground.

"Whenever there's something that hasn't been done before, like a big obstacle or a big challenge, this Afghan side rises to the occasion. They're not only setting new standards for themselves but also paving the way for future players to keep pushing those boundaries."

Afghanistan opened their Asia Cup campaign with a commanding victory over Hong Kong on September 9. Since then, they have enjoyed a six-day break — something Trott feels has come at the right time.

"I'm actually quite happy with the break," the coach said. "Playing in the extreme heat here in the UAE takes a lot out of you. It's been a good chance to recharge the batteries, take stock of where we are, and get ready to go again. Hopefully, with a win and qualification into the next round, we know there will be quite a few games in a short space of time."

The Afghans had endured a gruelling run-up to the tournament, playing five matches in 10 days during a tri-series with UAE and Pakistan. Even captain Rashid Khan, at the tournament's opening press conference, had lamented the short turnaround between the tri-series final and their Asia Cup opener, alongside the taxing commute from Dubai to Abu Dhabi on match days.

Trott, though, felt the schedule could turn into an advantage. "I think our schedule has actually played into our hands, as long as we play well tomorrow and do the job in Abu Dhabi," the coach explained. "Playing there is very different to Dubai. It looks like it's been spinning a little more here and in Sharjah. Abu Dhabi is a very different type of pitch — the make-up of the soil is different too.

"That's the challenge of playing in these tournaments: you're constantly adapting to a variety of conditions. I certainly feel that with our squad and the options we have, we can pick a side capable of winning in most conditions."

Naturally, Afghanistan's famed spin arsenal drew attention. "We saw during the triangular series that just because the ball is spinning, it doesn't automatically mean we're going to win games," Trott said. "We still have to do everything else well, and I stress that. Yes, our spinners have played a lot of franchise cricket and plenty of international T20 and ODI cricket, but we've got to be consistent across all departments. That's why we work so hard as a side.

"Right now, we have a great opportunity with the Asia Cup. Looking a bit further ahead, with the World Cup coming up in February, we have good memories of playing in the subcontinent — in Sri Lanka and India. It can be tempting to look too far ahead, but for now, Bangladesh is at the forefront of everyone's mind, and we're focused on winning that game."

HIGHLIGHTS

*Afghanistan hold the edge in T20I head-to-heads against Bangladesh, winning seven of the 12 encounters. Bangladesh have won the other five.

*The Afghans won convincingly in their last Asia Cup T20 clash against the Tigers, played in Sharjah in 2022.

*Bangladesh skipper Litton Das is just 27 runs shy of surpassing Shakib Al Hasan (2,551) as the country's all-time leading run-scorer in T20Is.

*Litton is also the top scorer in Bangladesh-Afghanistan contests, amassing 227 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 109.66, with two half-centuries.

*Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi ranks second with 220 runs at a strike-rate of 118.27, and along with Shakib Al Hasan, has featured in all 12 T20Is between the sides.

*Rashid Khan is the leading wicket-taker in these fixtures, claiming 22 scalps at an economy rate of 5.52 and an average of 10.54 in 11 matches.