![\"CRICKET-ASIA-2025-T20-AFG-BAN\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1759673470_792_960x0.jpg\")
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Afghanistan and Bangladesh is an emerging rivalry (Photo by Fadel SENNA \/ AFP) (Photo by FADEL SENNA\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Much of cricket\u2019s oxygen is being swallowed by the bitter rivalry<\/a> of India and Pakistan, with the sport – overwhelmingly popular in the nuclear-armed neighboring countries – sadly resembling something of a proxy for the warring nationalistic governments. <\/p>\n With such a nasty fall out<\/a> from the Asia Cup, as their trio of games descended into chaos, the future of India-Pakistan is unknown with much politicking set for November\u2019s International Cricket Council meetings. <\/p>\n Cricket, quite clearly, needs more rivalries beyond not only India and Pakistan, but also those between the big three nations of India, England and Australia, where most of the spotlight shines. <\/p>\n Look a little into the background and an emerging rivalry is starting to develop between Afghanistan and Bangladesh, fascinating South Asian countries poised to make a rise but are often shunned by the power nations. <\/p>\n Both nations are part of cricket\u2019s elite tier – the 12 Full Members granted more power, funds and playing opportunities.<\/p>\n Afghanistan and Bangladesh are Test playing nations (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n However, Afghanistan are not part of the current nine-team World Test Championship while Bangladesh has not played powers England and Australia in five-day cricket in almost a decade. <\/p>\n It\u2019s meant they\u2019ve had to look around for more playing opportunities, with Bangladesh one of just five countries to play Afghanistan in Test cricket. <\/p>\n They\u2019ve only twice played one-off Tests, an underwhelming number for countries who should play each other more although there is little incentive for Bangladesh to given Afghanistan are not in the WTC. <\/p>\n Perhaps when two divisions<\/a> in Test cricket gets the all clear, as it is likely to<\/a>, the countries will start to build on a rivalry that has heated up in shorter form cricket, sparked by a thrilling eight-run win by Afghanistan at the 2024 T20 World Cup during a remarkable semi-final<\/a> run. <\/p>\n Since 2022, Bangladesh holds a 6-5 edge in ODI cricket and it\u2019s 5-2 in T20Is including a couple of close wins in the current three-match series in Sharjah – the home base for nomadic Afghanistan who don\u2019t play at home due to security issues. <\/p>\n Afghanistan and Bangladesh have played memorable games in recent years (Photo by Darrian Traynor-ICC\/ICC via Getty Images)<\/p>\n ICC via Getty Images<\/p>\n They will play a subsequent three-match ODI series although the teams aren\u2019t scheduled to face each other again in the current Future Tours Programme through to mid-2027. <\/p>\n Cricket has been finally looking at new frontiers to alleviate the reliance of India and the power nations. The U.S. is the sport\u2019s No.1 target market – despite ongoing tumult<\/a> – and other appealing growth areas include Brazil and Germany<\/a>. <\/p>\n