[MHRAM]

No doubt we have improved in this format over the years. Unfortunately, it has been almost 11 months since we last played an ODI match.

For some reason I have been feeling very much nervous about this match. The wound from that defeat to Afghanistan in Bangladesh is still present as a scar. To the Afghans, they have everything to gain. Even if they lose, they are losing out on nothing. Its a bonus tour for them given how it was not scedhuled to begin with. They are facing a team which they have already beaten 2.5 years back.

2.5 years might be a long time and we have improved since then, but I am sure that Afghans have too. They are not of our level by any means but still a dangerous side filled with spirit. We on the other hand, haven't played an ODI series for a long time while Afghanistan have done so 3 months back in Irish soil and I believe the series was drawn. Leave alone ODIs, we haven't played any international cricket for 6 months.

There are so much to worry about for us. No Fizz, cloud over Sunny and Taskin's bowling action test, Tamim just recovered from injury and above all poor selection in the bowling department. I might be paranoid, and will admit that I had been far more nervous before the WT20 2014 encounter and 2015 CWC match against the same opposition but on both occassions, especially in the WT20, we thrashed them making a mockery of my worries.

However, a lot is stake on this series for us. Rankings, Confidence, form. Notice how our 2017 scedhuled is packed and 2018 will be as well, because of our performance since Nov 2014. We can't afford to lose even a single match against the Afghans. Else the knives will be out.