Nurul Hasan expects Afghanistan to lean on spin in ODI tri-series

Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan has said he expects Afghanistan to rely heavily on their spin attack when the ODI tri-series gets under way in Abu Dhabi on October 17, 2026.

The tri-series involves Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, with each side playing the other once before the top two teams contest the final on October 23.

"We have two big tournaments in the ODI format, the Asia Cup and then the World Cup. So I think it's a good platform and if we can do well here the confidence will also be boosted up ahead of the Asia Cup and World Cup," Hasan said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

The assessment carries weight given the contrast in Afghanistan's approach across formats. In the one-off Test against Bangladesh at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, which ran from October 9-13, 2026, Afghanistan fielded a pace-heavy attack with Mohammad Saleem, Yamin Ahmadzai and Ismat Alam sharing new-ball duties, while Ziaur Rahman and Qais Ahmad served as the two specialist spinners.

For the ODIs, however, Afghanistan's 15-member squad includes Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, AM Ghazanfar and Nangyali Khan, pointing to a significantly stronger spin contingent. Nurul also acknowledged the challenging heat conditions in the UAE but was measured in his response.

"It's a little hot, but I think it'll be equal for both teams. So we'll try to adjust as much as we can through whatever capability we have," he said.

Why does Nurul consider Aliss Al Islam important for Bangladesh?

Nurul highlighted the presence of mystery spinner Aliss Al Islam as a potentially decisive factor for Bangladesh in the tri-series. Mystery spinners can be difficult to read, particularly in conditions abroad where batters are less familiar with local variations, and Nurul believes Aliss's inclusion gives Bangladesh an additional weapon to counter spin-friendly surfaces.

"Aliss has been doing well for a long time and I definitely think that is good for the Bangladesh team. Having a mystery spinner like that when we play abroad, I think every team has some bowlers (mystery) like him and I feel that can be a very good aspect for the Bangladesh team from that point of view," Hasan said.

What does the tri-series mean for Bangladesh's broader ODI ambitions?

Bangladesh are approaching the tri-series with an eye on two major tournaments that follow. The Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup are both on the horizon, and the team views the Abu Dhabi competition as a useful platform to build form and confidence before those events.

Bangladesh's ODI squad members who departed Dhaka on October 13 will link up with the Test contingent and use the days before October 17 to acclimatise and prepare.