Bangladesh aim to keep progress in WTC

They will face Afghanistan in a one-off Test

ABU DHABI:

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto targets further improvement in the five-day format as they meet Afghanistan in a one-off Test starting in Abu Dhabi from Friday.

Bangladesh upset Australia by nine wickets at Darwin in August before losing the second Test to draw the two-match series 1-1, an outcome that was seen as a huge step forward for the visitors.

The win lifted Bangladesh to fourth place in the nine-team World Test Championship (WTC) and gives them a good chance to play next year's final.

Although the Test against Afghanistan is not included in the WTC, Shanto said his team was ready for the challenge.

"We had a very good series in Australia but I believe that is past now," Shanto said at Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Thursday.

"This is a new opponent and different conditions so we must progress further."

A win will further boost Bangladesh's confidence as they host the West Indies later this month, tour South Africa in November and host England in February next year.

Afghanistan also hopes to improve their Test record under new captain Rahmat Shah, having won just four of the 13 Tests they have played since gaining Test status in 2017. They have lost eight and drawn one.

When they last met Bangladesh in Dhaka three years ago it resulted in a heavy 546-run defeat. But they won their other Test against Bangladesh by 224 runs in 2019.

Afghanistan will sorely miss their ace spinner Rashid Khan, who was not selected for the Test on medical advice to give his back some rest ahead of important white-ball matches.

Bangladesh will be without their fast-rising pacer Naheed Rana for a second consecutive series as he recovers from a side strain.

The pitch at Zayed Stadium is on the slow side, bringing spinners into the equation early with high temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) expected.