Afghanistan secured a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a high-stakes T20 clash at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. The hosts, batting first, posted a competitive 164-5 in their 20 overs, with skipper Shakib Al Hasan top-scoring with 42. In reply, Afghanistan chased down the target with two balls to spare, with Hazratullah Zazai smashing an unbeaten 71 off 45 balls. The win marks Afghanistan’s first bilateral T20 series victory against Bangladesh, levelling the three-match series 1-1. The decider is scheduled for Sunday, with both teams eager to claim the series. The match was a spectacle of powerful hitting and strategic bowling, captivating a packed stadium and a global audience.
Afghanistan Secures Victory with 7 Wickets to Spare in T20 Thriller
Afghanistan secured a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a high-stakes T20 match. The win came with just three balls to spare, leaving the home crowd at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka in raptures.
Bangladesh posted a competitive 171-7 in their 20 overs, with captain Shakib Al Hasan top-scoring with 42. Afghanistan’s chase got off to a shaky start, losing Hazratullah Zazai early for just 7. But Rahmat Shah steadied the ship with a crucial 54, supported by a rapid 45 from Najibullah Zadran.
The match swung Afghanistan’s way in the final overs, with Zadran and Mohammad Nabi (16 not out) combining to take the team to victory. Bangladesh’s bowling attack, led by Mustafizur Rahman’s 2-29, fought hard but ultimately fell short.
Afghanistan’s victory marks a significant step forward in their T20 rankings, while Bangladesh will need to regroup ahead of their next fixture. The match was the first in a three-game series, with the next encounter scheduled for Sunday.
Bangladesh Fights Hard but Falls Short Against Afghanistan in T20 Clash
Afghanistan secured a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a closely contested T20 match. The Afghan team chased down Bangladesh’s total of 165 runs with three balls to spare, showcasing a dominant batting performance.
Bangladesh’s innings saw a steady start, with opener Liton Das contributing 42 runs off 33 balls. However, their middle order faltered, with only Mahmudullah Riyad providing substantial support with 36 runs. Afghanistan’s bowling attack, led by spinner Rashid Khan, restricted Bangladesh to 165 runs in their 20 overs.
In response, Afghanistan’s openers, Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani, laid a solid foundation. Zazai scored a rapid 61 runs off 35 balls, while Ghani contributed 42 runs. Despite a brief middle-order collapse, Afghanistan’s lower order steadied the ship, with Mohammad Nabi anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 38 runs.
Key moments included Bangladesh’s failure to capitalize on their powerplay, scoring just 38 runs in the first six overs. Afghanistan, on the other hand, exploited the fielding restrictions, scoring 52 runs in their powerplay. The Afghan team’s victory was sealed when Mohammad Nabi hit a six off Taskin Ahmed in the 19th over.
Afghanistan’s captain, Asghar Afghan, praised his team’s composure under pressure. “Our batsmen showed great patience and executed their plans well,” he said post-match. Bangladesh’s skipper, Mashrafe Mortaza, acknowledged Afghanistan’s superior performance but expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back.
Afghanistan's Bowlers Shine in Narrow T20 Win Over Bangladesh
Afghanistan secured a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a closely contested T20 match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. The Afghan bowlers put on a stellar performance, restricting Bangladesh to 157 runs in 20 overs. Bangladesh’s top scorer was skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who scored 54 runs off 42 balls.
Afghanistan’s chase began shakily, with the team losing two early wickets. However, captain Mohammad Nabi and Hazratullah Zazai steadied the innings with a crucial partnership. Nabi top-scored with 53 runs off 38 balls, while Zazai contributed 42 runs off 26 deliveries.
The Afghan bowlers were the stars of the show. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nabi was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 wickets for 22 runs in his four overs. Fellow spinner Rashid Khan also chipped in with 2 wickets for 27 runs. Bangladesh’s batting lineup struggled against the Afghan spinners, failing to accelerate in the latter overs.
Bangladesh’s skipper Shakib Al Hasan admitted his team’s batting performance fell short. “We didn’t bat well enough,” Shakib said post-match. “We needed a bigger total to challenge Afghanistan, but credit to their bowlers for executing their plans well.”
Afghanistan’s victory marks their second consecutive win in the ongoing T20 series. The teams will face each other again in the third and final match on Sunday. The Afghan team will look to seal the series, while Bangladesh aims to bounce back and level the contest.
Bangladesh Sets Challenging Target but Afghanistan Batting Steadies
Afghanistan secured a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a high-stakes T20 clash at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The Afghan team chased down Bangladesh’s challenging target of 165 runs with three balls to spare, showcasing a masterclass in controlled aggression.
Bangladesh’s innings got off to a solid start, with openers Liton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto putting on 54 runs for the first wicket. However, Afghanistan’s bowlers struck back, with Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman claiming three wickets each to restrict Bangladesh to 164/9 in their 20 overs.
In response, Afghanistan’s openers Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani provided a steady start, scoring 38 runs in the powerplay. Despite a middle-order collapse that saw Afghanistan slip to 98/4, Najibullah Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz steadied the ship with a crucial 67-run partnership.
Zadran anchored the chase with a composed 43 not out off 32 balls, while Gurbaz played a supporting role with a quickfire 28 off 18 deliveries. Afghanistan’s victory was sealed in the 19th over, with Zadran hitting the winning runs to spark jubilant celebrations in the Afghan camp.
Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad admitted that his team’s total was not competitive enough. “We set a target, but Afghanistan batted well under pressure,” he conceded. Afghanistan skipper Asghar Afghan praised his team’s composure. “It was a tough chase, but our batsmen showed great character,” he said.
Afghanistan's All-Rounders Deliver in Tight T20 Contest Against Bangladesh
Afghanistan secured a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a closely contested T20 match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The win was sealed with 13 balls to spare, showcasing Afghanistan’s all-round prowess.
Bangladesh posted a competitive total of 157 runs for the loss of six wickets in their 20 overs. Opener Liton Das top-scored with 63 runs off 48 balls, providing a solid foundation for the home side.
Afghanistan’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings, with Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi picking up two wickets each. The Afghan spinners, particularly Rashid Khan, kept the Bangladesh batsmen in check with tight lines and lengths.
In response, Afghanistan’s chase was anchored by Ibrahim Zadran, who scored an unbeaten 73 runs off 52 balls. His partnership with Hazratullah Zazai, who contributed 46 runs off 28 balls, steered Afghanistan to victory.
The match witnessed several dramatic moments, including a crucial wicket taken by Bangladesh’s Taskin Ahmed in the final overs. However, Afghanistan’s composure under pressure proved decisive.
Afghanistan’s captain, Gulbadin Naib, praised his team’s all-round performance. “Our bowlers set the tone, and the batsmen executed the chase brilliantly,” he said post-match. The victory marks a significant milestone for Afghanistan in their T20 campaign.
Afghanistan secured a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their T20 International clash at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Chasing a target of 150, Afghanistan’s openers laid a solid foundation, with Najibullah Zadran anchoring the innings with a crucial 54 not out. The win keeps Afghanistan’s hopes alive in the ongoing series, with two more matches remaining. Both teams will now prepare for the next encounter, scheduled for Sunday, as they look to gain the upper hand in the three-match series. The upcoming matches promise more intense competition as both sides aim to showcase their skills and strategies.
