‘Afghanistan spinners will be very threatening’

Bangladesh will be taking on Afghanistan for the first time in the longer format of the game during their one-off Test starting from September 5 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chattogram. Afghanistan squad has four frontline spinners in their squad and according to Bangladesh's new head coach Russell Domingo, the Afghanistan spinners will give some difficult times to the Bangladesh batsmen in the game.   

"They [Afghanistan spinners] will be very threatening. We have seen them particularly in the shorter format how dangerous their bowling attack can be. Look it is a different format, playing one-day cricket and Test match cricket but they will definitely pose some threats to us in the next few days," said Domingo during a press conference after a practice session at ZACS today.

Afghanistan bundled out BCB XI in their sole two-day practice game for a meagre 123 in just 44.3 overs, courtesy of exploits from Zahir Khan, a 20-year old left-arm chinaman bowler on Monday at the MA Aziz Stadium in the port city. However, Domingo seemed not too worried about the young spinner as there are a number of players in Bangladesh squad who have faced the chinaman bowler in BPL earlier this year. Zahir had featured for Khulna Titans in the sixth edition of BPL that ended in February this year.

 "We watched some of his footage and some of pour guys have played against him in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and I think in one or two other leagues. At the end of the day warm up games are just warm up games and you cannot read too much into warm up games' performances. Playing a warm up game and playing a Test match is totally two different things. Fair play to him and good luck to him [Zahir]. We have prepared really well and there are quite a few guys [in Bangladesh squad] who have played against him have shared their thoughts on how to play against him." concluded Domingo.