Mujeeb's four-for and Nabi's 84 propel Afghanistan to victory
Afghanistan won by 25 runs against Bangladesh in the third match of the tri-nation series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today. Afghanistan posted 164 for six thanks to a brilliant knock from Mohammad Nabi before the Afghan bowlers ran riot to bowl Bangladesh out for 139.
A few lusty hits from Mustafizur Rahman, who hit a six and two fours in the final over ensured that Bangladesh reduced the margin of defeat. However Afghanistan were brilliant and after Nabi scorched the Tigers with a brilliant 84 from 54 deliveries, the Bangladesh batsman failed to contend with Mujeeb who bagged four wickets for 15 runs. Rashid Khan, Gulbadin and Fardeen Khan bagged two wickets each as Afghanistan steamrolled the Tigers in their second game of the tri-nation series.
19.5 - Ban 139 all out : Bangladesh are all out for 139 runs as Mustafizur Rahman is the last wicket to fall.
18.3 - Ban 124/9 : Rashid is cleaning things up pretty fast. A googly and Mosaddek plays all over it trying to whack it. Out bowled. Mohammad Saifuddin c & b Rashid Khan 2 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66
18.1- Ban 120/8: Saifuddin skies it off Rashid and the eighth wicket falls with the equation already looking improbable. Mohammad Saifuddin c & b Rashid Khan 2 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66
17.2 - Ban 115/7 : Afif looks to whack Gulbadin over long off but Zadran takes a fantastic catch and keeps his balance . Afif Hossain c Najibullah Zadran b Gulbadin Naib 16 (14b 2x4 0x6) SR: 114.28
15.3 - Ban 100/6: Bangladesh reach 100 and need another 65 runs from 28 deliveries.
14.6 - Ban 96/6: Afif skies it and Rashid runs to complete the catch off his own bowling but ball falls just short of him. Afif survives.
14.3 - Ban 95/6: Sabbir tries to whack Mujeeb but does not get enough bat on it. Holed out. Tigers in deep trouble. Sabbir Rahman c Gulbadin Naib b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 24 (27b 1x4 0x6) SR: 88.88
13.2 - Ban 90/5: Afghanistan have broken the Sabbir-Riyad partnership after they added 48 runs for the fifth wicket. Riyad goes after scoring 44 with Bangladesh requiring 75 runs from 40 deliveries. Mahmudullah was deceived the slower one from Gulbadin and plays it to the hands of deep mid wicket. Afif comes to the crease. Mahmudullah c Najeeb Tarakai b Gulbadin Naib 44 (39b 5x4 0x6) SR: 112.82
9.2 - Ban 56/4: Sabbir tries to reverse sweep Rashid Khan second ball and ball hits him on the pads. Rashid appeals and umpire raises his finger. Sabbir asks for the review and survives. Ball hit his gloves as replays showed.
4.6 - Ban 32/4: Mujeeb bags another one and this time it's Soumya who goes first ball. Arm ball straightens after pitching outside off and Soumya is rooted to his crease failing to pick up the delivery and is caught in front of the stump leg-before. Soumya Sarkar lbw b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
4.2 - Ban 31/3: Angry words exchanged between Rashid and Shakib. Not quite clear what happened but the situation has done enough for Shakib to lose his cool. He gets a leading edge and Rashid standing at mid off takes an easy catch. Rashid throws ball into the ground in celebration. Shakib Al Hasan c Rashid Khan b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 15 (13b 2x4 0x6) SR: 115.38
1.5 - Ban 11/1: Mushfiqur played a good shot early in the over but he falls to Fareed looking to scoop the pacer. Mahmudullah comes to the crease. Mushfiqur Rahim b Fareed Ahmad 5 (3b 1x4 0x6) SR: 166.66
0.2 - Ban 0/1: Mujeeb into the attack and removes Liton second ball. Leading edge and ball falls comfortably in mid off's palms. Tigers sent in Mushfiqur Rahim to open with Liton and now Shakib Al Hasan has come to the crease. Liton Das c Najeeb Tarakai b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
Mustafizur Rahman limited the damage by conceding just three runs in the last over after the previous five had produced 69 runs, but Mohammad Nabi was immense in taking Afghanistan from 40 for four to a very competitive 164 for four.
End of over 18 - Afg 144/6: Nabi clobbers Soumya for two sixes and two fours as the 18th over yields 22 runs for Afghanistan. The total already seems competitive, keeping in mind Afghanistan's bowling prowess.
17.2 - Afg 129/6: Nabi sends Soumya to the stands to complete his 50.
16.5 - Afg 121/6: Saifuddin sends back Gulbadin for a duck to bag his fourth of the match. Straight delivery not doing much but beats the batsman for a bit of pace. Gulbadin Naib b Mohammad Saifuddin 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
16.2 - Afg 119/5: Saifuddin returns to the attack and removes dangerman Asghar Afghan after a brilliant rebuilding knock. Looked to clear long-on but does not get the power he would have liked and the catch is taken. Asghar Afghan c Sabbir Rahman b Taijul Islam 40 (37b 3x4 2x6) SR: 108.10
Following the No ball, Nabi takes Taijul to the cleaners as 16 runs come off the 15th over with two sixes hit. The big hits also bring up Afghanistan's 100.
14.1 - Afg 94/4: What a let off! Bangladesh think they have broken the partnership as Nabi hits it deep towards mid wicket and the catch is taken perfectly. Taijul has overstepped though. No ball.
12.6 - Afg 90/4: Nabi has been fantastic since coming on and he has put the pressure back on the Tigers as we head towards the death overs. The partnership between Nabi and Afghan has reached 50.
5.4 - Afg 40/4: Zadran wants to hit Shakib's arm ball out of the ground but completely mistimes it. Starts walking even before Soumya at mid off has gotten under the ball. Soumya completes the catch and Shakib gets two as well after Saifuddin. Najibullah Zadran c Soumya Sarkar b Shakib Al Hasan 5 (6b 1x4 0x6) SR: 83.33
2.6 - Afg 19/3: Saifuddin bags his second. Najeeb had hit a wonderful six just last ball and this time the length was shorter and he hit it again towards deep mid wicket but the area is not vacant anymore and Sabbir takes the catch comfortably. Najeeb Tarakai c Sabbir Rahman b Mohammad Saifuddin 11 (13b 0x4 1x6) SR: 84.61
1.4 - Ban 10/2: The Tigers are off to a great start with both Afghan openers now back in the hut. Dangerman Zazai tried to take on Shakib in the second over of the match but manages to sky it high into the night sky. Liton Das comes in from deep and takes a fantastic catch. Hazratullah Zazai c Liton Das b Shakib Al Hasan 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00
0.1- Afg: 0/1: Saifuddin uproots the stumps of Rahmanullah first up with an unplayable delivery. The outswinger pitched right on the middle stump line and squared the opener up before taking off the off-stump. Beautiful delivery and brilliant start from the Tigers. Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Mohammad Saifuddin 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
Afghanistan have won the toss and elected to bat first at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka today.
Tigers avoided a humiliating defeat against Zimbabwe in the first T20I of the tri-nation series due to Afif Hossain's brilliance but the Tigers will still be concerned by the resurgence of today's opponents Afghanistan -- especially after their humiliating defeat against the same opponents in the one-off Test match at Chattogram -- under captain Rashid Khan.
Both teams have unchanged XIs for today's match.
Playing XI:
Bangladesh: Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan (Cap), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mosaddek Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taijul Islam and Mustafizur Rahman.
Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbanz (wk), Najeeb Tarakai, Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (capt), Karim Janat, Fareed Ahmed, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
More to follow...
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