Magnificent Shakib leads Tigers to victory against Afghanistan
A magnificent unbeaten 45-ball 70 from skipper Shakib Al Hasan helped Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by four wickets in the last league match, a dead rubber, of the ongoing T20I tri-series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.
Coming in to chase a modest 138 for seven set by Afghanistan, Bangladesh lost both of their openers -- Nazmul Hossain and Liton Das -- just after 3.2 overs with just 12 runs on the board. Shakib, who then walked in on the pitch, stayed till the very end as he ensured the Tigers get over the line. He strung an important 58-run stand with Mushfiqur Rahim for the third-wicket before the latter gifted his wicket to Karim Janat in the 11th over when he tried to hit a six over midwicket but only ended up giving an easy catch to Shafiqullah. After that, Shakib kept on losing partners at the other end and was left in a spot of bother at one stage. However, an unbeaten 35-run stand between Shakib and Mosaddek for the seventh wicket helped the Tigers register a victory against Afghanistan.
Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers made a magnificent comeback in the game following Afghanistan's brilliant start after being asked to bat first. The two openers -- Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai -- gave the visitors a flying start, stitching together a 75-run opening stand. However, after Zazai fell prey to Afif Hossain in the 10th over after scoring a team high of 35-ball 47, no other Afghan batsmen could capitalize on the brilliant start provided by the openers. They kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and could only manage a 138-run total. Afif remained the pick of the bowlers for the Tigers, returning impressive figures of two for nine in his three overs.
Afif falls, Tigers in spot of bother
Over 15.5, Ban- 104/6: Afif Hossain b Rashid Khan 2 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00
Afif Hossain walks across and tries to play a slog sweep. He misses the ball completely and it goes on to hit the stumps. Rashid scalps another one and Bangladesh are now in a spot of bother.
Shakib strikes fifty as Tigers cross hundred
14.4, Ban- 100/5
Shakib Al Hasan flicks a length delivery from Naveen-ul-Haq towards midwicket for a couple. That brings up his fifty -- his nineteenth T20I fifty -- and also the hundred for the Tigers.
Naveen dismisses Sabbir, Tigers lose their fifth
Over14.2, Ban- 96/5: Sabbir Rahman c †Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Naveen-ul-Haq 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00
A length delivery from Naveen-ul-Haq that holds its line and Sabbir Rahman, who tries to guide it down the third man gets an edge. The keeper takes an easy catch.
Rashid removes Riyad
Over 13.4, Ban- 93/4: Mahmudullah lbw b Rashid Khan 6 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 75.00
A googly from Rashid Khan and Mahmudullah Riyad, who tried to pull the back of a length delivery, fails to connect and the ball hits his pads. Both Shakib and Mahmudullah had a chat if to go for the review or not. They decides against it and Mahmudullah has to walk as the umpire gave him out initially.
9:37 pm: The match resumes as the lights come back on.
Over 12.4, 9:30 pm, Ban- 84/3: Match delayed due to floodlight failure.
There match has been stopped as some of the lights of the floodlights went off.
Mushy throws his wicket away
Over 10.4, Ban- 70/3: Mushfiqur Rahim c Shafiqullah b Karim Janat 26 (25b 0x4 1x6) SR: 104.00
It was totally an unnecessary shot from Mushfiqur Rahim, who was just dropped on 14 by Tarakai in the previous over. An outside off delivery from Karim Janat and Mushfiqur Rahim drags it as he tries to hit a six over midwicket. However, he only ends up giving an easy catch to Shafiqullah standing there.
Over 9.4, Ban- 59/2: Mushy dropped on 14 by Tarakai!
Mushfiqur Rahim comes down the track and tries to play an outside off delivery over the midwicket region. He mistimes it and the ball gets the elevation and not the distance. But the fielder underneath it, Tarakai -- who came on the field as a sub for Rashid -- drops it. Mushfiqur survives.
Over, 8.6, Ban- 51/2
Shakib Al Hasan makes room and punches a length ball outside off from Gubadin Naib through extra cover for a boundary. That brings up the fifty for Bangladesh.
Over 7.5, Ban- 39/2: Rashid leaves the field after pulling his hamstring!
Mushfiqur Rahim flicks and finds a gap through mid wicket. Rashid Khan who was chasing the ball suddenly falls to the ground clutching his left hamstring. He hobbles off the field to get treatment. This does not look good for Afghanistan.
Liton, Najmul fall in quick succession
Over 3.2, Bangladesh - 12/2: Najmul Hossain Shanto c Rashid Khan b Naveen-ul-Haq 5 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 62.50
Naveen-ul-Haq gets his first T20I wicket and Najmul is the man to walk back. He tried to go for a slog, but was decieved by the slower ball, which popped up into the air for a simple catch into the hands of Rashid.
Over 2.2, Bangladesh - 9/1: Liton Das c Asghar Afghan b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 4 (10b 0x4 0x6) SR: 40.00
Bangladesh lose their first wicket as Liton walks back to the pavillion. Liton goes for a big hit, and gets plenty of air on it but not quite enough distance. It lands safely into Asghar's hands at mid-off.
Bangladesh have restricted Afghanistan to 138 for seven in the last league match, a dead rubber, of the ongoing T20I tri-series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.
Bangladesh bowlers made a magnificent comeback in the game after Afghanistan had started off brilliantly. The two openers -- Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai -- gave the visitors a flying start, stitching together a 75-run opening stand. However, after Zazai fell prey to Afif Hossain in the 10th over after scoring a team high of 35-ball 47, no other Afghan batsmen could capitalize on the brilliant start provided by the openers. They kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and could only manage a 138-run total. Afif remained the pick of the bowlers for the Tigers, returning impressive figures of two for nine in his three overs.
Over 19.6, Afg- 138/7
A yorker from Mustafizur Rahman and Rashid Khan could only take a single off it. Afghanistan post 138 for seven in 20 overs. A brilliant come back by the bowlers after having started the game poorly.
Over 16.5, Afg- 114/7: Karim Janat c Mustafizur Rahman b Shafiul Islam 3 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 75.00
A back of a length delivery from Shafiul Islam and Karim Janat tries to pull it over the fielder at deep backward square leg. The ball goes straight to the hands of Mustafizur Rahman and Afghanistan lose their seventh.
Saifuddin removes Zadran, Afghanistan lose their sixth
Over 15.4, Afg- 109/6: Najibullah Zadran b Mohammad Saifuddin 14 (16b 0x4 1x6) SR: 87.50
A fuller lentgh delivery on the off side by Mohammad Saifuddin. The batsman misses as he tries to flick it and the ball hits the timber. A brilliant delivery to get rid of Zadran.
Afghanistan in trouble as Naib falls to a run-out
Over 13.2, Afg- 96/5: Gulbadin Naib run out (Mahmudullah/†Mushfiqur Rahim) 1 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00
Nazibullah Zadran played it towrads point and tried to sneak a quick single. Gulbadin Naib, running from the non-strikers' end could not make it in time. A very good bit of fielding from Mahmudullah, who reacts quickly and fires in a throw at the keeper. Mushfiqur Rahim takes the bails off and Naib has to walk after scoring just one run.
Shakib removes Nabi
Over 12.4, Afg- 88/4: Mohammad Nabi lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 4 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66
A classic arm ball from Shakib Al Hasan gets the better of Mohammad Nabi. The ball holds its line and goes on to hit the pads of Nabi. The ball would have been hitting middle and leg. Umpire gives out after a huge appeal from the Tigers.
Tigers take three wickets in quick succession
Over 10.4, Afg- 80/3: Rahmanullah Gurbaz c & b Mustafizur Rahman 29 (27b 2x4 2x6) SR: 107.40
A length ball from Mustafizur Rahman on the off side and Gurbaz tries to play it square on the leg side and ends up getting a leading edge. Mustafizur runs to his right and takes a good catch
Afif strikes twice in the same over
Overs 9.5, Afg- 75/2: Asghar Afghan c Najmul Hossain Shanto b Afif Hossain 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
Asghar Afghan goes down the track and tries to hit it out of the park. But only ends up giving a catch to Nazmul Hossain standing at long on.
Overs 9.3, Afg- 75/1: Hazratullah Zazai c Mustafizur Rahman b Afif Hossain 47 (35b 6x4 2x6) SR: 134.28
Afif Hossain gives Tigers their much needed breakthrough. Hazratullah Zazai goes down on one knee and tries to slof sweep but gets beaten by some turn and bounce from Afif Hossain. He gets a top edge and a simple catch taken by Mustafizur Rahman in standing at the short fine leg.
Afghanistan start brilliantly
End of over 7, Afg- 51/0
Afghanistan got off to brilliant start as both the openers -- Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai -- stitched together an unbeaten fifty-run stand just in the seventh over of the game. Bangladesh have induced some edge and created a few opportunities but failed to take them. Mahmudullah Riyad, who dropped Rahmanullah on 1, was taken for 16 runs by Hazratullah Zazai in the sixth over.
Overs 1.4, Afg- 7/0: Rahmanullah dropped on 1 by Mahmudullah
Shafiul Islam did his part as he induced a top edge off Rahmanullah Gurbaz's bat after pitching the ball in the middle and swinging it ever so slightly away from the bat. The ball went up in the air after Rahmanullah tried to pull it but Mahmudullah Riyad, who was standing at the fine leg squanders the opportunity. Rahmunullah dropped on 1 and this might hurt the Tigers.
Overs 0, Afg 1/0: Saifuddin starts with a no ball!
Mohammad Saifuddin to Rahmanullah Gurbaz and the ball pitches in the middle and moves slightly towards the off stump line. A very good delivery. But wait, it's a no ball. Saifuddin overstepped massively. A free-hit to follow.
Bangladesh opt to bowl against Afghanistan
Bangladesh have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Afghanistan in the last league match, a dead rubber, of the ongoing T20I tri-series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan informed during the toss that there is one change in the Tigers' squad. Leg spinner Aminul Islam, who had picked up a left-hand injury during Bangladesh's last match against Zimbabwe on September 18, has been replaced by Sabbir Rahman.
Meanwhile, thre are two changes in the Afghanistan squad. Fazal Niazai and Dawlat Zadran are not playing. Debutant Navin-ul-Haq and Karim Janat make the cut.
With Zimbabwe -- the third placed team in the triangular series -- already being eliminated from the tournament, both Bangladesh and Afghanistan have already made it to the final, scheduled to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on September 24. And although this match will not have any impact on the tournament, both teams will be looking to gain some momentum and fine-tune some aspects of their game before the all-important final.
Playing XIs:
Bangladesh: Liton Das, Najmul Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Shafiqullah, Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (capt), Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
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