Afghanistan tour to Scotland 2019 [Preview]

Afghanistan is scheduled to tour Scotland in the month of May to play two one-day internationals.  Asghar Afghan’s side have made good progress in the limited-overs cricket since last two years. The visitors will confident of doing well after winning the one-day series in Scotland in 2016.

Afghanistan will play both their one-day games at Grange Cricket Club, Edinburgh on 8^th and 10^th May respectively. It is certainly going to be closely contested series with both side having plenty of good players in their ranks.

On the other hand, Scotland have done well in recent time and also pulled off a historic win over England in a one-off game played in Edinburgh last year. Captain Kyle Coetzer will be hoping that side can do well in their own backyard this season.

In the batting department, Scotland will be relying on the likes of Kyle Coetzer, Calum MacLeod and Richie Berrington to do the bulk of the scoring. The trio will need to deliver runs for the side in this two-match one-day series against Afghanistan.George Munsey and wicket-keeper Matthew Cross have been in good form with the bat in recent times.

In the bowling department, the side will be relying on the likes of Safyaan Sharif, Mark Watt and Alasdair Evans to provide crucial breakthroughs with the new-ball. Off-spinner Michael Leask and rookie pacer Chris Sole are other bowling options for the side for this two-match one-day series. The bowling will need to improve considerably if Scotland aim win the one-day series against Afghanistan.

On the other hand, Afghanistan have doing well over the past two years. They are currently playing Ireland in a five-match one-day series hosted by India.

Opener Mohammad Shehzad has done a good job for the side at the top of the innings. He has produced big scores for the side over the past two years. Hazratullah Zazai will be looking to do well in this series. The opener hasn’t done that well in 50-over format despite his outstanding success in the T20 format.

The likes of Rahmat Shah and Asghar Afghan are bankable players in the middle-order for Afghanistan. Najibullah Zadran also smashed a century against Ireland in the five-match one-day series played in India.

All-rounder Mohammad Nabi and leg-spinner Rashid Khan have also contributed well to team’s cause and chipped in with crucial scores.

Gulbadin Naib and Noor Ali Zadran also featured for Afghanistan in the one-day series played against Ireland in India. Samiullah Shinwari is an experienced pinch-hitter coming in lower down the order for Afghanistan.

In the bowling department, Shapoor Zadran, Dawlat Zadran, Fareed Malik and Aftab Alam are four pace options for the side for the two-match one-day series.

The side has premier spinners in Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who have shown excellent form in limited-overs cricket over the past six months. The other bowling options for the side are Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib.

The visitors will certainly field two fast bowlers as conditions will provide assistance to the quick bowlers. The spinners might not get that much assistance in Edinburgh