Lahore played host to a thrilling encounter in the Asia Cup as Bangladesh emerged victorious over Afghanistan by a commanding margin of 89 runs. Stellar performances from Taskin Ahmed and Najmul Shanto stole the limelight.
With this impressive win, Bangladesh concluded their group stage campaign with a win and a loss, amassing a total of two crucial points. Their fate in the Super Four stage now hinges on the outcome of the match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Chasing a formidable target of 335 runs, Afghanistan’s pursuit got off to a shaky start as their star opener, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, was dismissed for just one run in the very first over. At 1/1 in 1.4 overs, the early wicket put Afghanistan under pressure.
Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah attempted to rebuild the inning during the powerplay, with Afghanistan reaching 37/1 at the end of six overs. The duo showed resilience as they notched up a 50-run partnership in 13 overs, with Zadran reaching his half-century in 52 balls, featuring eight boundaries.
Taskin Ahmed ended the partnership by removing Rahmat for 33 off 57 balls, with Afghanistan at 79/2 after 17.5 overs. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi joined Zadran at the crease, and the two batsmen added another fifty-run partnership in 55 balls.
The departure of Zadran for a well-constructed 75 off 74 balls (with 10 fours and a six) brought a breakthrough for Bangladesh, with Hasan Mahmud claiming the wicket. Shahidi continued his determined pursuit and found an able partner in Najibullah Zadran.
Afghanistan reached the 150-run mark in the 29th over, with Shahidi completing his fifty in 54 balls, featuring six fours. However, Bangladesh’s bowlers, led by Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, kept the pressure on, leading to a steady loss of wickets.
Despite a brief resurgence by Rashid Khan (24 off 15 balls), Afghanistan was eventually bowled out for 245 in 44.3 overs, falling 89 runs short of their target. Taskin Ahmed was the star performer with the ball, finishing with figures of 4/44, while Shoriful Islam chipped in with 3/36.
In the first innings, Bangladesh posted an imposing total of 334/5 in their allotted 50 overs. Openers Mohammad Naim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz provided a solid start, with Naim scoring 28 off 32 balls before being dismissed by Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Najmul Shanto, promoted to number three, couldn’t make an impact, falling for a two-ball duck.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Najmul Hossain Shanto then combined to build a formidable partnership, amassing 194 runs. Miraz was the standout performer, notching up a brilliant century (112 off 119 balls), including seven fours and three sixes. Shanto joined in the fun, scoring a century of his own (104 off 105 balls), featuring nine fours and two sixes.
Bangladesh concluded their innings at 334/5, with Shakib Al Hasan (32* off 18 balls) and Atif Hossain (4*) remaining unbeaten. Afghanistan’s bowlers, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Gulbadin Naib, managed to claim one wicket each.
Discussion about this post