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BAD vs MAK Fantasy Team Prediction: Band-e-Amir Dragons take on Mis-e-Ainak Knights in the 5th match of the Shpageeza Cricket League 2026 at the Rahmat Wali Masroor Cricket Ground, Khost, on Friday, July 3. The match is scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM IST.
Here’s an interesting one. Dragons already have a match under their belt this season and it did not go well. Knights, on the other hand, haven’t actually played a single ball yet. Their opening game got washed out completely before a bowler even ran in. So tonight is really the first proper test for one team and a fresh start for the other.
Match Details
Match: BAD vs MAK, 5th T20, Shpageeza Cricket League 2026
Date: Friday, July 3, 2026
Time: 9:30 AM IST
Venue: Rahmat Wali Masroor Cricket Ground, Khost
BAD Captain: Hashmatullah Shahidi
MAK Captain: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Watch live: FanCode
What You Need To Know About Both Teams’ Starts To The Season
Band-e-Amir Dragons opened their campaign against Amo Sharks and lost by 8 wickets. Dragons batted first and were bowled out for just 133. Amo Sharks knocked that off in only 15.5 overs, which tells you it wasn’t a tense finish at all, more of a comfortable stroll. Openers Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Haroon Khan actually gave Dragons a decent platform, with Atal scoring 42 off 29 balls, but the innings never built any real pace after that and the middle order couldn’t push the total anywhere close to competitive.
Mis-e-Ainak Knights haven’t played a game yet. Their opener against Speen Ghar Tigers was called off entirely due to rain, without a single ball being bowled. So there’s no form to judge them on this season, good or bad. All we can go on is what this squad looks like on paper and how they performed last season, when they actually finished as runners up, only losing the final to Amo Sharks by 8 wickets.
Team Form Last 5
BAD: L L L W L
This form line looks rough at first glance, but only the very first result, the loss to Amo Sharks, actually happened in the 2026 season. The rest are carried over from last season, where Dragons lost three of their last four matches, including a heavy defeat to Mis-e-Ainak Knights themselves, who chased down 192 by putting up a massive 264.
MAK: L W L L W
Same story here. None of these results are from this season since Knights haven’t played yet. Going by last season, they beat Dragons convincingly in that high scoring 264 run chase, but they also lost their last match of the season, the final, to Amo Sharks.
Head to Head BAD vs MAK
Knights lead the head to head fairly comfortably, winning 5 of the last 10 meetings against Dragons’ 2.
- 18th T20, Shpageeza 2025: BAD made 192, MAK chased it down easily with 264/2. MAK won.
- 3rd T20, Shpageeza 2025: BAD scored 188/4 in 19.2 overs, MAK could only manage 187/5. BAD won.
- 15th T20, Shpageeza 2024: BAD posted 139/4, MAK were bowled out for just 97. BAD won.
- 8th T20, Shpageeza 2024: BAD made 113/9, MAK chased it for 128/9. MAK won.
- 5th T20, SCL 2022: BAD were bowled out for just 50, MAK knocked it off in 7.5 overs for 51. MAK won.
Knights have generally had the wood over Dragons in this rivalry, and a couple of these results, especially that 264 run chase, show just how explosive their batting can get when it clicks.
Team Comparison Overall
Here’s what a quick side by side of both teams’ last 10 matches looks like.
Band-e-Amir Dragons: Win rate of 30 percent, average score of 182, best of 203, worst of 133.
Mis-e-Ainak Knights: Win rate of a much stronger 50 percent, best score of 264, lowest of 121.
Knights simply win more often and have shown they can put up a genuinely massive total when things go right for them. Dragons have been more inconsistent, and their season opener loss fits right into that pattern.
Pitch Report: Rahmat Wali Masroor Cricket Ground, Khost
This ground has hosted two matches so far this season. One produced a comfortable chase, the other was rained out completely before it started. What we do know from the one completed game is that fast bowlers found some early movement with the new ball, and things got a little easier for batting once the innings settled in. That lines up with how this pitch has generally played in past seasons too, a track that helps seamers upfront but flattens out afterward.
Toss verdict: Bowling first has worked out well here recently. Amo Sharks chased down Dragons’ total with overs to spare in the tournament opener, so if either captain wins the toss tonight, chasing looks like the safer route.
Par score: Based on recent matches at this ground, a first innings total somewhere around 150 to 160 should be considered a solid, defendable score rather than a losing one. Dragons’ 133 in the opener fell well short of that mark, which is exactly why they lost so comfortably.
Weather Report For July 3 In Khost
Khost typically sees hot, dry conditions this time of year, and there’s no rain in the picture for tonight unlike the washout that hit the Knights’ opening match two days ago. Expect a clean, uninterrupted 20 overs a side.
Band-e-Amir Dragons Playing XI
From their season opener against Amo Sharks, Dragons’ top order is confirmed as Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Haroon Khan opening the batting, with Hashmatullah Shahidi captaining the side. The rest of the likely XI, based on their full squad, includes Sediqullah Pacha, Azizullah Mia Khil, Rahman Zurmatia (wicketkeeper), Gulbadin Naib, Nangeyalia Kharote, Izharulhaq Naveed, Sami Sarmast, Mohammad Saleem Safi, and Khalil Ahmad.
Worth flagging here. Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, the young Afghan mystery spinner, is part of this Dragons squad. If that name rings a bell, it’s because he’s also listed in MI New York’s MLC 2026 squad in the United States, where he hasn’t played a single match this season. That’s not a coincidence or an error. It simply looks like he’s been playing his cricket here in the Shpageeza league instead this month. Worth remembering if you also follow MLC fantasy leagues and were wondering why he never turns up in MINY’s actual lineups.
Mis-e-Ainak Knights Playing XI
Since Knights haven’t played a ball yet this season, there is no confirmed lineup to go on, only their full squad list and captain Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Expect a side built around Gurbaz behind the stumps and opening the batting, alongside senior stars Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, plus Raiz Hassan, Wafiullah Tarakhail, Khalid Taniwal, Nasir Jamal, Farmanullah Safi, Khalil Gurbaz, Zia Sharifi, and Bilal Sami.
Since none of this is confirmed by an actual match yet, treat MAK’s lineup as a genuine best guess rather than a locked in team, and check the official toss announcement before finalizing your fantasy picks.
Players To Watch
Mohammad Nabi, Mis-e-Ainak Knights
One of Afghanistan’s most experienced all rounders, and someone who can genuinely win a match with either bat or ball on his day. With Knights coming into this game with zero match practice this season, having a calm, experienced head like Nabi in the side matters even more than usual.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mis-e-Ainak Knights
Gurbaz captains the side and is also their most dangerous batter at the top of the order. He’s the kind of player who can take a game away from the opposition inside the powerplay alone if he gets going.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mis-e-Ainak Knights
A world class spinner who controls the middle overs as well as anyone in Afghan cricket. On a pitch that tends to help bowlers more than batters early on, Mujeeb could be the difference maker with the ball.
Sediqullah Atal, Band-e-Amir Dragons
Atal was the one bright spot in Dragons’ otherwise disappointing season opener, scoring 42 off just 29 balls. He’ll want to go one step further tonight and turn a promising start into a genuinely big score.
Gulbadin Naib, Band-e-Amir Dragons
An experienced all rounder who has represented Afghanistan for years. Dragons need contributions from senior players like Naib if they want to avoid a second straight defeat to open the season.
Match Prediction
Knights come into this with the better recent history against Dragons, a stronger overall win percentage, and genuine world class players like Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman in their ranks. The catch is they haven’t played a single match yet this season, so there’s a small question mark over match sharpness and combinations that Dragons, for all their opening night struggles, don’t have to worry about.
Our prediction is Mis-e-Ainak Knights to win this one, backed by their superior head to head record and squad depth, but Dragons have shown in past meetings, especially that 188 run chase two seasons back, that they are capable of springing a surprise when their top order fires.
Also Read- MINY vs SO Fantasy Team Prediction, Pitch Report, Weather and Playing XI — MLC 2026
Best Fantasy XI For BAD vs MAK Tonight
| Player | Team | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Captain) | MAK | Wicketkeeper |
| Sediqullah Atal (Vice Captain) | BAD | Batter |
| Hashmatullah Shahidi | BAD | Batter |
| Mohammad Haroon Khan | BAD | Batter |
| Mohammad Nabi | MAK | All Rounder |
| Gulbadin Naib | BAD | All Rounder |
| Bilal Sami | MAK | Bowler |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | MAK | Bowler |
| Izharulhaq Naveed | BAD | Bowler |
| Nangeyalia Kharote | BAD | All Rounder |
| Farmanullah Safi | MAK | Batter |
Captain: Rahmanullah Gurbaz. He captains the side, keeps wicket, and opens the batting, which means he’s on the field for every over of the match with multiple ways to score fantasy points. A dangerous top order batter walking into a fresh start after a washed out opener is exactly the kind of player worth betting big on.
Vice Captain: Sediqullah Atal. He was the only real positive from Dragons’ opening match, scoring 42 off 29 balls. If he carries that same touch into tonight and finally gets proper support around him, he could produce a much bigger score this time.
Differential Pick: Nangeyalia Kharote. With most fantasy players expected to load up on the bigger names like Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman from the Knights side, Kharote gives you exposure to Dragons’ all round depth at a much lower ownership, especially useful if Dragons manage to bounce back from that opening night collapse.
FANTASY
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Q: What time does BAD vs MAK start in India?
A: 9:30 AM IST on Friday, July 3, 2026.
Q: Did Mis-e-Ainak Knights play their opening match this season?
A: No. Their scheduled opener against Speen Ghar Tigers on July 1 was abandoned due to rain without a single ball being bowled. Tonight is genuinely their first match action of the 2026 season.
Q: What happened in Band-e-Amir Dragons’ season opener?
A: They batted first against Amo Sharks and were bowled out for 133. Amo Sharks chased that down comfortably in 15.5 overs for an 8 wicket win.
Q: Should the toss winner bat or bowl first tonight?
A: Bowling first has worked well at this ground recently. The team chasing won comfortably in the one completed match played here this season.
Q: What is the head to head record between BAD and MAK?
A: Mis-e-Ainak Knights lead 5 wins to 2 across the last ten meetings between these two sides.
Q: Why isn’t Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar playing for MI New York in MLC right now?
A: He’s part of the Band-e-Amir Dragons squad in the Shpageeza Cricket League this month, which appears to be why he hasn’t featured for MINY in MLC 2026 so far.
Q: Who is the best captain pick for BAD vs MAK fantasy tonight?
A: Rahmanullah Gurbaz. He keeps wicket, opens the batting, and captains the side, giving him multiple ways to score fantasy points across a full 20 overs.
Q: Where can I watch BAD vs MAK live?
A: FanCode has live coverage of the match.