Shawdesh Desk:

Last year, Bangladesh played a record 32 ODIs, which is the highest for them in a calendar year since they became an ICC full member in 2000.

But when they meet Afghanistan in the first of the three-match series on Wednesday at Sharjah, it will be only the fourth match for the Tigers in this format this year.

The first group of the squad members reached Dubai on Saturday. The second group travelled on Sunday.

Bangladesh last played ODIs in March this year when they beat Sri Lanka 2-1 at home. That was the first ODI series after Najmul Hossain Shanto was appointed as the full-time captain in all three formats.

After the Afghanistan series, the Tigers will head to the Caribbean, where they will play three more ODIs along with two Tests and three T20Is to end the year.

Both Bangladesh and Afghanistan will take the ODI series as an early preparation for the Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in February next year in Pakistan.

But for Bangladesh, it will be a series where they would try to get their mojo back after some tough outings in the other two formats.

ODI has always been the favourite format for Bangladesh, as they have had the most success in it.

After beating Pakistan in a Test series in August-September, Bangladesh are on a losing streak as they were clean swept by India both in Tests and T20Is and then embraced the same fate against South Africa in the two-match Test series at home.

Afghanistan, though, wouldn’t be an easy opposition. The overall record for Bangladesh over them in the 50-over format is 10-6.

But the Afghans have already played nine ODIs this year. They recently clinched a historic series win over South Africa.

The series was played in Sharjah, Afghanistan’s adapted home. The wicket there is generally batting-friendly, but the Afghan bowling attack will pose a significant threat to the Bangladeshi batters, who have not been high on confidence recently.

Off the field, Bangladesh aren’t having a great time either.

This will be the first ODI series for Bangladesh under new head coach Phil Simmons, who previously coached Afghanistan and was appointed as the Tigers’ boss before the South Africa series as BCB suspended and later sacked Chandika Hathurusingha.

There were uncertainties with the future of the captain, Shanto as well. He intended to step down but later was named the captain when BCB announced the 15-member squad for this series on Friday.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, too, was among the talks. He didn’t come to play his farewell Test against South Africa as he wished due to security reasons and advice from the government.

BCB president Faruque Ahmed later said that the star all-rounder was not mentally and physically ready to play the Afghanistan series. The future of him is still uncertain.

Bangladesh will need to keep more focus on the series, as it has been the case in recent times. ODIs might be their favourite format, but if things go south against Afghanistan, they will find themselves in more trouble.