Bangladesh skipper Mashrafee bin Mortaza said on Thursday that they are not thinking too far ahead and concentrating on the opening game of the Asia Cup.

Bangladesh could not win the Asia Cup despite playing the finals on two occasions during last three editions of the tournament and that clearly gives them an edge as far as their chances to go a long in the tournament is concerned.

But the new format looks due to the addition of two more teams in the Asia Cup apart from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka also leave them at risk of being eliminated from the opening stage where they are placed in group B along with Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. Two teams from each group will advance to second round known as Super Four in the tournament and that looks to be the primary goal of Tigers.

''I think every team is a threat for us, '' Mashrafee told reporters in the official pre-match press conference on Thursday as Tigers concluded their preparation for the multi-team competition. ''If you look at the bowling strength of Afghanistan and all-rounder potency of the Sri Lankans anything can happen. So for us the opening game is the most important, '' he said.

If we can do well in the opening game we have a chance to progress further in the tournament, '' he said. Mashrafee said that he is emphasizing on the opening game more because he is well aware how the Afghanistan dominated them in the three-match Twenty20 series at Dehradhun where they clinched the series against Tigers by 3-0 margin.

Though the format is different the ghost of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Jadran looked very much alive at the back of Mashrafee's mind that prompts him to believe that the best way to go against the Afghan's is by carrying a winning momentum.

''If we can win the opening match we are sure it will help us to handle Rashid and Mujeeb much better, '' said Mashrafee. ''But if don't do well in the opening game it will be even twice the more difficult to beat them so the first game will set the tone for us, '' he said.

However, new head coach Steve Rhodes don't like to believe in that manner when it comes to handling the spinners of Afghanistan is concerned but said that they are no way underestimating the new cricketing power of Asia. "I don't think there's a fear factor[as far as spinner are concerened], '' said Rhodes.

"We have finger spinners as role models in Shakib and Mehidy. As soon as we have wrist spinners as role models, then the youngsters then may start doing it in the streets.

"We brought Likhon and Tanbir in the nets. Rishad is in the U19s. We have tried to include some legspinners so that our batsmen get some practice, '' he said adding that ''I think we should respect Afghanistan. Some quality cricketers play for Afghanistan.