Abu Dhabi: Afghanistan and Bangladesh open a busy multi-format tour of the UAE on Friday with a one-off Test at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium — a contest shaped as much by who is missing as by who takes the field. Afghanistan will be without Rashid Khan, rested from Test cricket on medical advice, while Bangladesh play their first-ever Test on UAE soil.
The five-day match, starting October 9 at 11:30 AM IST, is also a landmark for Rahmat Shah, who leads Afghanistan in his first outing as full-time Test captain. Najmul Hossain Shanto’s Bangladesh arrive settled, having played a two-day warm-up against the UAE in Dubai before moving to Abu Dhabi.
Match details
Match: Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, Only Test
Dates: October 9–13, 2026
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Start time: 11:30 AM IST (10:00 AM local)
Captains: Rahmat Shah (Afghanistan), Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh)
Live streaming (India): FanCode | TV telecast (India): None
Head-to-head: honours even
The two sides have met only twice in Test cricket, with one win apiece — and both were emphatic. Afghanistan stunned Bangladesh by 224 runs in Chattogram in 2019, with a 21-year-old Rashid Khan taking 11 wickets and scoring a fifty. Bangladesh hit back in Dhaka in 2023, winning by 546 runs, one of the largest margins in Test history.
Neither side resembles those XIs. Rashid’s absence removes Afghanistan’s most decisive weapon, while Bangladesh blend seasoned campaigners like Mushfiqur Rahim with a new generation led by Shanto.
Probable playing XIs
Afghanistan (probable): Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah (c), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Shahidullah Kamal, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ismat Alam, Qais Ahmad, Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar, Yamin Ahmadzai, Mohammad Saleem Safi.
With Rashid Khan and Ibrahim Zadran rested, Afghanistan’s top order has a fresh look. Shahidullah Kamal returns after piling up 538 runs in the 2026 Ahmad Shah Abdali first-class tournament, while seamer Yamin Ahmadzai — the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 42 scalps — offers a genuine new-ball threat.
Bangladesh (probable): Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud.
Bangladesh’s strength lies in experience and spin depth. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam form a proven slow-bowling partnership, while Mushfiqur and Mominul bring vast combined know-how. The pace attack, led by Shoriful Islam, must exploit any early movement.
Pitch and conditions
October in Abu Dhabi means heat — daytime temperatures in the high 30s — and a Sheikh Zayed surface that traditionally starts true for batting before wearing into a turner. The toss could be significant: batting first and building a big total has been the winning formula here, with spinners expected to dominate the second half. With no dew in a day game, reverse swing later in the day is another variable.
Players to watch
Shahidullah Kamal (AFG): The domestic season’s standout batter (538 first-class runs) gets his chance at the highest level. How he handles Test-match pressure against quality spin will define Afghanistan’s first innings.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (BAN): Bangladesh’s premier all-rounder in Asian conditions — his off-spin on a wearing Abu Dhabi pitch could be decisive.
Rahmat Shah (AFG): Afghanistan’s most accomplished Test batter now carries the captaincy too. A big hundred in his first match as full-time skipper would be a statement.
Najmul Hossain Shanto (BAN): Scored twin hundreds the last time these sides met in a Test. Bangladesh’s hopes rest heavily on their captain’s bat.
Live streaming details
There is no television telecast in India. Fans can watch all five days live on the FanCode app and website, with coverage beginning at 11:30 AM IST each morning. FanCode is also streaming the ODI tri-series (October 17–23) and the Afghanistan-Zimbabwe fixtures from the UAE.
What to expect
Bangladesh start as slight favourites — greater Test experience, a settled spin attack and a captain in form. But Afghanistan at a neutral venue, with in-form domestic performers stepping up in Rashid’s absence, are dangerous; the 2019 Chattogram result is proof they need no invitation. Expect a slow-burning, spin-dominated contest where the first-innings total decides it.
The Test is followed by an ODI tri-series involving Zimbabwe from October 17 to 23, split between Abu Dhabi and Sharjah — so both teams will be desperate to land the first psychological blow.