Abu Dhabi: Bangladesh and Afghanistan, both of whom have lost their first Super Four matches, will face each other next in a bid to revive their campaigns in Asia Cup 2018 at Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

While Afghanistan fell just short of Pakistan in their first Super Four game, Bangladesh were comprehensively beaten by India in theirs. Both teams now need a win to stay alive in the competition and will have to put their best foot forward in this match.

When they met in Group B earlier, Rashid Khan dished out an outstanding all-round performance to help Afghanistan clinch a 91-run victory. That result, and the fact that Bangladesh have won just one game so far – a 71-run victory over Sri Lanka in the tournament opener – makes Afghanistan look a bit stronger on paper, reports the ICC.

Like always, Asghar Afghan will rely heavily on the bowling attack, especially the spinners, to get the job done on the dry surface in Abu Dhabi. They were dealt with well by Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik the other day, but the Afghanistan skipper will expect Rashid Khan and Co to shake that off and get back to their best. 

As far as Bangladesh are concerned, their batting has let them down. They capitulated for 119 while chasing 256 against Afghanistan and folded for 173 against India after choosing to bat in their Super Four opener. Mushfiqur Rahim scored a crucial century to keep them going in their first game against Sri Lanka, but the rest of the Bangladesh batting line-up is yet to step up. 

Key players

Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh): The right-handed middle-order batsman is the only Bangladesh batsman who has shown form. His match-winning 144 off 150 deliveries against Sri Lanka not only helped Bangladesh win the game, but, in hindsight, stay in the competition. He will be crucial in keeping Afghanistan's spin trio at bay.

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): The 20-year-old has been exceptional, making vital contributions with the ball as well as the bat. With seven wickets in three games, he is the leading wicket-taker of the tournament so far. He also scored a swashbuckling half-century against Bangladesh in the group game, hitting eight fours and one six in his 32-ball 57*.