The rivalry between the Afghanistan national cricket team and the Bangladesh national cricket team is one of the most fascinating ones. Unlike traditional rivalries such as India vs Pakistan or India vs England that developed over decades, this rivalry grew in the modern era of international cricket.
The Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs Bangladesh National Cricket Team timeline reflects the similar journeys in international cricket. They are developing cricket nations that built strong spin bowling attacks, passionate fanbases, and unpredictable performances.
This article will present the timeline of ODIs, Tests, T20Is, and ICC tournaments.
Bangladesh has been a Test-playing nation since 2000, while Afghanistan attained its full ICC membership much later. Afghanistan gained traction in the 2010s and has since evolved into a much more competitive side. Both teams met for the first time in the Asia Cup in 2014. Since then, both Afghanistan and Bangladesh have come a long way. Afghanistan was learning quickly, and by 2018, it had become a formidable side and not a newcomer anymore.
What Makes This Rivalry Special
Unlike one-sided rivalries, Afghanistan vs Bangladesh games are usually close and unpredictable.
The first match in the Afghanistan national cricket team vs Bangladesh national cricket team timeline was played in the 2014 Asia Cup. It was an ODI match, which Afghanistan won by 32 runs. The second match they played with each other was the 2014 T20I World Cup opening game. Bangladesh won that by 9 wickets. Since then, both teams have played each other regularly.
Key Early Moments
The early games in this rivalry marked the arrival of the Afghanistan team as a serious contender in world cricket.
In the Afghanistan national cricket team vs Bangladesh national cricket team timeline, ODIs played a key role. One Day Internationals is the go-to format for both Asian cricketing nations. Let’s have a look.
At first, both teams played each other in only ICC or multinational tournaments. It was not until 2016 that they played a full-fledged ODI series. Afghanistan toured Bangladesh for a 3-match ODI series in 2016. Out of 3 matches, Afghanistan could only manage to win one. Bangladesh claimed the series 2-1.
In the mid-development phase, Afghanistan began improving significantly with disciplined bowling and better top-order batting. With this improvement, we started to see closer match results that remained competitive.
In recent ODI matches or series, Afghanistan started beating Bangladesh frequently. However, the matches remained competitive, as they are often decided in the final overs. In fact, Afghanistan has beaten Bangladesh in the last two ODI series they played in 2024 and 2025 at a neutral venue (United Arab Emirates).
| Year | Host | Matches | Result |
| 2014 | Bangladesh | 1 | Afghanistan Won |
| 2015 | Australia | 1 | Bangladesh Won |
| 2016 | Bangladesh | 3 | Bangladesh Won 2-1 |
| 2018 | UAE | 1 | Afghanistan Won |
| 2019 | England | 1 | Bangladesh |
| 2022 | Bangladesh | 3 | Bangladesh Won 2-1 |
| 2023 | Bangladesh | 3 | Afghanistan Won 2-1 |
| 2023 | Pakistan | 1 | Bangladesh Won |
| 2023 | India | 1 | Bangladesh Won |
| 2024 | UAE | 3 | Afghanistan Won 2-1 |
| 2025 | UAE | 3 | Afghanistan Won 3-0 |
The Afghanistan national cricket team vs Bangladesh national cricket team timeline in Tests is a short one. Both teams played each other in Tests after Afghanistan gained Test status. To date, they only played two Test matches. Each team has won one match.
The first encounter in 2019 was a fruitful one for Afghanistan. They recorded a historic performance in that game. It was a confidence booster for the Afghanistan team as they beat Bangladesh by 224 runs. Captain Rashid Khan took 11 wickets and made 75 runs in the match. It was a dream start to the rivalry for Afghanistan cricket.
The second match they played was in 2023. Bangladesh took revenge and defeated Afghanistan by 546 runs. Afghan players couldn’t handle the pressure of runs on the board and collapsed in both innings.
| Year | Host | Matches | Result |
| 2019 | Bangladesh | 1 | Afghanistan Won |
| 2023 | Bangladesh | 1 | Bangladesh Won |
The Afghanistan national cricket team vs Bangladesh national cricket team timeline has produced some of the most exciting games between these two Asian nations. The Afghanistan Cricket Board has given priority to T20 cricket.
Bangladesh and Afghanistan met each other in the T20 World Cup in 2014. It was quick work for Bangladesh, as they won that game in just 12 overs. Bangladesh invited Afghanistan to bat first and bowled them out for just 72 runs in 17 overs. After that, they made 78/1 within 12 overs of the second innings.
After the first encounter in 2014, both teams met each other multiple times in multinational tournaments. The last T20I series they played was in October 2025 in the UAE. The Emirates Cricket Board was happy to accommodate the Bangladesh vs Afghanistan matches. Bangladesh obliterated Afghanistan 3-0 in the T20I series at a neutral venue.
| Year | Host | Matches | Result |
| 2014 | Bangladesh | 1 | Bangladesh Won |
| 2018 | India | 3 | Afghanistan Won 3-0 |
| 2019 | Bangladesh | 3 | Shared 1-1 |
| 2022 | Bangladesh | 2 | Shared 1-1 |
| 2022 | UAE | 1 | Afghanistan Won |
| 2023 | Bangladesh | 2 | Bangladesh Won 2-0 |
| 2024 | West Indies | 1 | Afghanistan Won |
| 2025 | UAE | 1 | Bangladesh Won |
| 2025 | Bangladesh | 3 | Bangladesh Won 3-0 |
Afghanistan national cricket team vs Bangladesh national cricket team head-to-head record slightly favors Bangladesh. The table below reflects the incredible rivalry that has become competitive over the last decade. Have a look.
| Format | Matches | Bangladesh Wins | Afghanistan Wins | Draw / NR |
| Test | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| ODIs | 22 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| T20Is | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 |
In ICC tournaments, the Afghanistan national cricket team vs the Bangladesh national cricket team has delivered some historic moments. The rivalry shifted from Bangladesh’s early dominance to Afghanistan’s recent T20 revolution.
The 2024 T20 World Cup encounter between these teams was a dramatic one. In that game, Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by just 8 runs (DLS method) to reach their first-ever semi-final in a World Cup. The Afghan team defended a low score of 115.
In their first ever world cup meeting, Bangladesh asserted their dominance by showing their experience. Bangladesh secured a clinical 105-run victory at Canberra. Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan’s all-around brilliance dismantled the Afghanis.
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Check out the notable statistics table between Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
| Category | Afghanistan | Bangladesh |
| Highest ODI Total | 331/9 (2023) | 334/5 (2023) |
| Highest Test Total | 342 (2019) | 425/4 dec (2023) |
| Highest T20I Total | 193/5 (2018) | 195/7 (2024) |
| Leading ODI Run-Scorer | Ibrahim Zadran | Shakib Al Hasan |
| Leading Wicket-Taker (ODIs) | Rashid Khan | Shakib Al Hasan |
The Afghanistan national cricket team vs Bangladesh national cricket team timeline showcases one of the fastest-growing rivalries in world cricket. Initially, it started as an experienced side facing a newcover, but now it has evolved into a balanced contest across formats.
Today, the matches between these nations are eagerly watched because any team can win on a given day. With both teams developing new talents, this rivalry is going to get better with time.
Ans: They first met in international ODI cricket during Afghanistan’s early years as an emerging team.
Ans: Bangladesh had early dominance, but the matches have been competitive in recent years.
Ans: Yes. It is especially true in Asian Cricket and ICC tournaments.
Ans: T20 Internationals are the most competitive games between these two.
Source:
Afghanistan Vs Bangladesh Head-to-Head by ESPNCricinfo
