Rashid hits Tigers hard

Bangladesh suffered a humiliating 136- run defeat against Afghanistan in an Asia Cup dead rubber at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi today.

Chasing Afghanistan's 255-7, the Tigers were bundled out for 119 in 42.1 overs. Champion Afghanistan leg-spinner played the key role in inflicting the embarrassing defeat on Bangladesh with a virtuoso all-round performance. He scored a quick-fire unbeaten 57 off 32 balls to dead-lift his team from a precarious 160-7 before removing two key Bangladesh batsmen – Shakib Al Hasan for 32 and Mahmudullah for 24 – to bury the game as a contest. Rashid finished with two for 13 in his nine overs.

Playing without key opener Tamim Iqbal, who returned home with a fractured left-wrist, centurion in the previous game Mushfiqur Rahim and left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who were rested, Bangladesh never looked competitive once Rashid and Gulbadin Naib (42) put on 95 runs for the unbroken eighth wicket.  

They lost wickets at regular intervals once off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed young opener Nazmul Hossain, who scored seven on his debut before depositing a simple catch at point.

Shakib, who took four wickets, was the only Bangladesh batsman played a purpose against a three-pronged spin attack that got added spice with a quality pace bowler in Naib, who took two wickets for 30 runs.

The defeat served a morale bowl for Bangladesh ahead of their opening Super Four game against India tomorrow.