Bangladesh will hope to beat Afghanistan for the first time as the two teams face off hope in the first of two FIFA Friendly matches at the Bashundhara Kings Arena today.

Bangladesh football team’s captain Jamal Bhuiyan hoped that Bangladesh would beat Afghanistan tomorrow in both cricket and football, but hoped that the sports lovers would watch and support the football team.

The Afghanistan head coach highlighted the fact that they beat Bangladesh in a ODI series for the first time in Bangladesh just recently.

The first contingent of Afghanistan national football team landed in Dhaka in the early hours of Sunday ahead of their two FIFA friendly matches against hosts Bangladesh.

The Bashundhara Kings Arena will host the two FIFA Friendly matches between Bangladesh and Afghanistan early next month, confirmed Bangladesh Football Federation’s vice-president Kazi Nabil Ahmed.

Ten teams will feature in the 46-day tournament, to be held across 10 cities. Along with Ahmedabad, the other host cities include Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Pune.

Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday announced the dates of two FIFA friendly matches against Afghanistan on September 4 and 7 as part of the national team’s preparation for October’s World Cup pre-qualifiers against Maldives.

Bangladesh will host Afghanistan for two FIFA friendly matches in early September, confirmed Bangladesh Football Federation’s vice-president Kazi Nabil Ahmed on Monday.

Ace spinner Rashid Khan was named on Sunday in Afghanistan's 16-member squad for the one-day international series against Pakistan.

The Afghanistan Football Federation today, on its verified Facebook page, published a schedule for their friendly plans for the upcoming September FIFA Window, earmarking Sylhet as the venue for the friendly against Bangladesh on September 7. 

Afghan international cricketer Sediqullah Atal smashed an astonishing 48 runs off one over Saturday in a Kabul Premier League Twenty20 match.

Bangladesh national football team are likely to play two FIFA friendly matches against Afghanistan at home in September even though two more teams – Myanmar and Nepal – are also in Bangladesh Football Federation’s consideration.

Inclement weather in Sylhet poses a bit of a concern among the fans as the first of the two-match T20I series between Bangladesh and Afghanistan is scheduled to begin at 6:00pm today.

Azmatullah Omarzai scored a battling half-century, yet Afghanistan were bowled out for 126 runs in 45.2 overs in the third ODI in Chattogram on Tuesday.

The visitors, who opted to rest marquee spinner Rashid Khan for the dead rubber, were 14 for three after six overs. 

The visitors, though, had the luxury to rest premier leg-spinner Rashid Khan alongside young quick Mohammad Saleem. m. Abdul Rahman and Zia-ur-Rehman replace them in the XI.

Bangladesh fell to their first ODI series defeat against Afghanistan after losing the first two ODIs at Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury. Ahead of the third ODI, the biggest question was how the Bangladesh batters would turn it around against Afghanistan spinners.

Liton entertained a few questions at the press conference regarding the Tamim issue and the opener’s shock retirement, but at one point lost his cool over the subtext of the press event.

The BCB's medical department's ploy with the captain has been to allow him time to recuperate when he feels back pain. It appears that the same idea would be in action as Tamim wants to see how he fares after the first ODI tomorrow. 

The Afghan selectors announced an 18-member squad, led by skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi where the likes of Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman also feature.