Afghanistan and Bangladesh have developed a competitive cricket rivalry across Test matches, One Day Internationals, and T20Is. Their encounters have become increasingly important as both teams have established themselves as regular participants in major international tournaments. The Afghanistan National Cricket Team Vs Bangladesh National Cricket Team Timeline begins with their early ODI meetings in 2014 and now includes World Cup matches, Asia Cup contests, bilateral series, and memorable T20 World Cup encounters. Over the years, Bangladesh initially held an advantage in several formats, while Afghanistan gradually developed into a formidable opponent, particularly in limited-overs cricket. Their rivalry has produced convincing victories, close finishes, major individual performances, and several important milestones for both teams.
The Beginning of the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Rivalry
The two teams first met in men’s ODI cricket in March 2014 at Fatullah, Bangladesh. Afghanistan made an immediate impression by defeating Bangladesh by 32 runs. Mohammad Shahzad and Asghar Stanikzai were among the important contributors as Afghanistan posted 254 for 6.
The match was significant because it demonstrated Afghanistan’s growing ability to compete against established international sides. Bangladesh responded later that year in the ICC World Twenty20, winning their meeting by nine wickets.
This early exchange established a pattern that has continued throughout the rivalry. Bangladesh’s experience and batting depth have often been important, while Afghanistan’s bowling attack, particularly its spinners, has repeatedly created problems for Bangladesh’s batters.
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Timeline From 2014 to 2019
The first five years of the rivalry produced matches across multiple formats and tournaments. The 2015 World Cup meeting was particularly important because it represented Afghanistan’s increasing presence at the highest level of international cricket.
| Year | Format | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ODI | Asia Cup | Afghanistan won by 32 runs |
| 2014 | T20I | World Twenty20 | Bangladesh won by 9 wickets |
| 2015 | ODI | World Cup | Bangladesh won by 105 runs |
| 2016 | ODI | Bilateral series | Bangladesh won series 2–1 |
| 2018 | T20I | Bilateral series | Afghanistan won series 3–0 |
| 2018 | ODI | Asia Cup | Both teams recorded a win |
| 2019 | Test | One-off Test | Afghanistan won by 224 runs |
| 2019 | ODI | World Cup | Bangladesh won by 62 runs |
The 2019 Test in Chattogram was one of the most remarkable early chapters. Afghanistan won by 224 runs, with Rashid Khan making a major contribution with the ball and Hashmatullah Shahidi scoring a century. The victory highlighted Afghanistan’s rapid progress in the longest format.
Bangladesh’s Strong ODI Period
Bangladesh enjoyed several successful encounters against Afghanistan during the middle part of the rivalry. Their 2016 ODI series was particularly competitive, with Bangladesh winning 2–1.
The teams then met at the 2018 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by a substantial margin in the group stage, while Bangladesh later secured an important victory in the Super Four stage.
Their World Cup meeting in Southampton in 2019 also went Bangladesh’s way. Bangladesh scored 262 and Afghanistan were restricted to 200, giving the Tigers a 62-run victory.
These results demonstrated that the rivalry was becoming increasingly balanced rather than being controlled consistently by one side.
The 2019 Test Match Becomes a Major Milestone
Afghanistan’s 2019 Test victory remains one of the most significant results in the history of this rivalry.
| Team | First Innings | Second Innings | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 342 | 260 | Won |
| Bangladesh | 205 | 173 | Afghanistan won by 224 runs |
Rashid Khan was central to Afghanistan’s performance. He claimed wickets in both innings and played a decisive role in restricting Bangladesh’s batting lineup.
The match also demonstrated Afghanistan’s ability to translate its success in white-ball cricket into the Test arena. For Bangladesh, the result highlighted the challenge of facing Afghanistan’s spin-heavy attack on turning Asian pitches.
The 2022 ODI Series in Bangladesh
Afghanistan returned to Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series in February and March 2022. Bangladesh won the series 2–1.
The first two matches were especially important for Bangladesh. In the opening ODI, Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz produced a memorable partnership that helped Bangladesh recover from a difficult position and win by four wickets.
Bangladesh then won the second match by 88 runs. Afghanistan responded in the third ODI with a convincing seven-wicket victory.
The series illustrated the importance of middle-order partnerships and bowling discipline. Afghanistan’s ability to chase effectively in the final match prevented a clean sweep.
Afghanistan’s Growing T20I Success
Afghanistan became increasingly successful against Bangladesh in T20 cricket. The teams met regularly in Asia Cup and bilateral T20I competition.
In March 2022, Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh in a T20I by eight wickets. Later that year, Afghanistan also won their Asia Cup encounter by seven wickets after chasing Bangladesh’s 127-run total.
The shortest format has generally produced close contests because both teams possess high-quality spin bowlers and experienced all-rounders.
| T20I Period | Important Result |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Bangladesh won their World Twenty20 meeting |
| 2018 | Afghanistan won the bilateral series 3–0 |
| 2022 | Afghanistan won the Asia Cup meeting |
| 2023 | Bangladesh won both bilateral T20Is |
| 2024 | Afghanistan won the T20 World Cup Super Eight match |
| 2025 | Bangladesh won the Asia Cup meeting and bilateral series |
The modern T20 rivalry has therefore featured periods of success for both teams.
The 2023 Multiformat Rivalry
The year 2023 was particularly significant because Afghanistan and Bangladesh met in Test, ODI, and T20I cricket.
Bangladesh won the one-off Test in Dhaka by 546 runs, producing one of the largest victories in Test cricket by runs.
Afghanistan subsequently won the ODI series in Bangladesh 2–1. Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a major role in the series, including a spectacular 145 in the third ODI.
The teams then played two T20Is, with Bangladesh winning both matches.
This made 2023 one of the most varied periods in the rivalry, with each format producing different results.
2023 World Cup Meeting
Afghanistan and Bangladesh met again at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in Dharamsala.
Afghanistan were bowled out for 156, while Bangladesh reached 158 for 4 to win by six wickets. Bangladesh’s chase was controlled by Litton Das, who anchored the innings during a relatively straightforward pursuit.
| Team | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 158/4 | Bangladesh won by 6 wickets |
The World Cup result gave Bangladesh an important victory at a major global tournament and continued their strong record in several of their ODI meetings.
The 2024 T20 World Cup Super Eight Encounter
One of the most dramatic recent encounters came at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Afghanistan scored 115 for 5 from 20 overs. Bangladesh’s chase was interrupted by rain, and Afghanistan ultimately secured an eight-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
The result was particularly important because Afghanistan progressed to the semifinal stage of the tournament.
Bangladesh were dismissed for 105, while Afghanistan’s disciplined bowling attack successfully defended the revised target.
This match demonstrated how quickly the balance can change in a T20 contest, particularly when weather conditions and the DLS method become factors.
Afghanistan’s ODI Dominance in 2024
The teams returned to ODI cricket in November 2024 for a three-match series in Sharjah.
Afghanistan won the series 2–1.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| November 6, 2024 | 1st ODI | Afghanistan won by 92 runs |
| November 9, 2024 | 2nd ODI | Bangladesh won by 68 runs |
| November 11, 2024 | 3rd ODI | Afghanistan won by 5 wickets |
The series was another indication of Afghanistan’s growing strength in ODI cricket. They recovered from Bangladesh’s second-match victory to win the deciding contest.
The third ODI was particularly competitive. Bangladesh posted 244 for 8, but Afghanistan successfully chased the target with five wickets remaining.
The 2025 Chapter of the Rivalry
The rivalry continued into 2025 with important T20I and ODI meetings.
Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by eight runs in their Asia Cup T20I meeting in September. Bangladesh scored 154 for 5 before Afghanistan were dismissed for 146.
The two teams subsequently played a three-match T20I series in October 2025, with Bangladesh winning all three matches.
Afghanistan responded strongly in the ODI series, winning all three matches.
| Format | 2025 Series Result |
|---|---|
| Asia Cup T20I | Bangladesh won by 8 runs |
| T20I bilateral series | Bangladesh won 3–0 |
| ODI bilateral series | Afghanistan won 3–0 |
The contrasting results across formats underline how difficult it is to define the rivalry through a single format.
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Head-to-Head Record
The ODI rivalry has become especially balanced. According to the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians, the teams had played 22 men’s ODIs through October 14, 2025, with Afghanistan and Bangladesh each recording 11 victories.
Their T20I record is also closely contested. Through their most recent completed meetings, Afghanistan have held a narrow advantage in T20Is, while Bangladesh have produced strong results in recent series.
| Format | Overall Character |
|---|---|
| Test | Limited number of meetings with one major win for each side |
| ODI | Extremely balanced rivalry |
| T20I | Competitive, with Afghanistan holding a narrow overall edge |
| Major tournaments | Both teams have recorded important victories |
The numbers show how much the rivalry has changed since its beginning.
Key Players in the Rivalry
Several players have played important roles in Afghanistan-Bangladesh matches.
For Afghanistan, Rashid Khan has been a central figure, particularly in T20 and Test cricket. Mohammad Nabi has also contributed with both bat and ball, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz has become an important ODI opener.
Bangladesh have relied on players such as Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Mustafizur Rahman.
| Afghanistan | Bangladesh |
|---|---|
| Rashid Khan | Shakib Al Hasan |
| Mohammad Nabi | Mushfiqur Rahim |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Litton Das |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi | Mehidy Hasan Miraz |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | Mustafizur Rahman |
The changing generation of players has kept the rivalry relevant as both teams continue to develop their squads.
What Makes Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Cricket Rivalry Interesting
The rivalry combines contrasting strengths.
Bangladesh have traditionally placed considerable emphasis on technically capable batting and experienced all-rounders. Afghanistan, meanwhile, have built much of their international identity around spin bowling, aggressive white-ball batting, and players experienced in franchise cricket.
Conditions have also played an important role. Matches in Bangladesh can provide assistance to spinners, while neutral venues such as the United Arab Emirates have frequently hosted Afghanistan’s home fixtures.
T20 cricket has made the rivalry even more unpredictable because a few overs from a specialist bowler or a quick batting partnership can completely change the outcome.
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Future Timeline
The rivalry is set to continue with further multi-format cricket. The ICC reported in September 2026 that Afghanistan are scheduled to host Bangladesh for a one-off Test in the UAE from October 9 to 13, followed by an ODI tri-nation series involving Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe.
This upcoming programme provides another opportunity for the two teams to add an important chapter to their growing international rivalry.
Conclusion
Afghanistan and Bangladesh have developed one of the more competitive rivalries in Asian cricket. What began with Afghanistan’s breakthrough ODI victory in 2014 has expanded into a contest covering all three international formats and major tournaments including the World Cup, Asia Cup, and T20 World Cup.
The rivalry has experienced different phases, with Bangladesh enjoying periods of ODI and Test success and Afghanistan establishing significant strength in T20 and ODI cricket. Their head-to-head ODI record reached an exact 11–11 balance by October 2025, highlighting how closely matched the teams have become.
With both sides continuing to develop new generations of players, future encounters should add further milestones to an already eventful cricket timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Afghanistan and Bangladesh first play international cricket?
Their men’s international rivalry began in 2014, with Afghanistan defeating Bangladesh in an ODI during the Asia Cup.
Which team has won more ODI matches between Afghanistan and Bangladesh?
The ODI record was level at 11 wins apiece after 22 matches through October 14, 2025.
When did Afghanistan and Bangladesh play their first Test?
Their first Test was played in Chattogram in 2019, with Afghanistan winning by 224 runs.
Who won the 2019 Afghanistan vs Bangladesh Test?
Afghanistan won the 2019 Test by 224 runs, with Rashid Khan playing a major role with both his bowling and captaincy.
Who won the 2023 World Cup match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh?
Bangladesh won their 2023 World Cup match by six wickets after restricting Afghanistan to 156.
Who won the 2024 T20 World Cup match?
Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by eight runs under the DLS method in the Super Eight stage.
Which team won the 2024 ODI series?
Afghanistan won the three-match ODI series in November 2024 by a 2–1 margin.
What is the biggest Test victory in the rivalry?
Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by 546 runs in the one-off Test played in Dhaka in June 2023.
Why is Afghanistan strong in limited-overs cricket?
Afghanistan have developed a strong white-ball setup built around quality spin bowling, aggressive batting, and players with extensive international and franchise experience.
When are Afghanistan and Bangladesh scheduled to meet again?
A one-off Test is scheduled for October 9–13, 2026, in the UAE, followed by their meeting in the ODI tri-nation series later that month.