Bangladesh Edges Out Afghanistan in Thrilling Asia Cup Clash
In a heart-pounding finish at Abu Dhabi, Bangladesh pulled off an exciting eight-run victory over Afghanistan in their Asia Cup match on Tuesday. Stellar spin bowling and sharp death-over spells from Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman turned the game in Bangladesh’s favor during the tense run chase.
This win keeps Bangladesh in second place in Group B with two victories and one loss, earning them four points. Sri Lanka leads the pack with two straight wins, while Afghanistan sits third with one win and one loss. If Afghanistan defeats Sri Lanka in their final group game, all three teams will have two wins each, and net run rate will decide who advances to the Asia Cup semifinals.
Afghanistan chased a target of 155 but crumbled under pressure. Bangladesh’s Nasum Ahmed struck gold right away, dismissing opener Sediqullah Atal for a golden duck on the first ball. Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz tried to steady the ship with some quick boundaries, but Nasum trapped Zadran lbw for just 5 off 12 balls. At 18/2 after 4.1 overs, Afghanistan were already in hot water.
By the end of six overs, they limped to 27/2, with Gurbaz partnering Gulbadin Naib. A explosive eighth over from Shamim Hossain leaked 16 runs, including a six from Gurbaz and a four from Naib, helping Afghanistan hit 50 in 8.1 overs. But Bangladesh spinner Rishad Hossain hit back hard, snaring Naib for 16 (with two fours) and then Gurbaz for 35 (two fours, two sixes), caught at deep backward square leg. Suddenly, Afghanistan slumped to 62/4 in 10.2 overs.
Mustafizur Rahman joined the party in the 13th over, bowling veteran Mohammed Nabi for 15 (including a six) with a wicked inside edge. Score: 77/5 at the halfway mark. Azmatullah Omarzai sparked a fightback, smashing 20 runs off Saif Hassan’s 14th over—two sixes and a four—to push Afghanistan past 100 in 14.4 overs.
Taskin Ahmed ended Omarzai’s blitz with a catch at backward point; the all-rounder made 30 off 16 balls (one four, three sixes). Now at 109/6 after 15.4 overs, Afghanistan needed 45 off the last four. Skipper Rashid Khan kept the chase alive, hammering Mustafizur for a no-look six and a four to add 14 runs. But sharp fielding from Nurul Hasan and Litton Das ran out Karim Janat for 6 off 8 balls, leaving Afghanistan at 124/7 in 17.1 overs.
Mustafizur bounced back in the 19th over, dismissing Rashid for a brisk 20 (two fours, one six) to make it 132/8. Allah Ghazanfar edged one to the keeper next, giving Mustafizur a shot at a hat-trick—he nearly nailed it but missed. In the final over, Afghanistan needed 22. Noor Ahmad smashed a six, but Taskin’s clever slower ball stalled them. Another six on the penultimate ball raised hopes, but Noor fell on the last, as Afghanistan finished at 146 all out.
Mustafizur shone with 3/28, while Taskin took 2/34. Spinners Nasum (2/11) and Rishad (2/19) were the real heroes, choking Afghanistan’s spirited batting lineup in this Asia Cup thriller.
Earlier, Bangladesh posted 154/5 in 20 overs despite Afghanistan’s tight bowling from Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Nabi, and Allah Ghazanfar. Openers Saif Hassan (30 off 28, two fours, one six) and Tanzid Hasan (52 off 31, four boundaries, three sixes) built a solid 63-run stand. But after Saif’s dismissal, the scoring slowed. Captain Litton Das managed just 9 off 11, and despite being 87/1 at 10 overs, Bangladesh added only 67 more runs while losing four wickets.
Towhid Hridoy looked good for 26 off 20 (one four, one six) but couldn’t go big. Nurul Hasan finished unbeaten on 12 off 6 to nudge the total past 150. For Afghanistan, Noor grabbed 2/23, Rashid took 2/26, and Azmatullah Omarzai claimed one wicket.
Rashid Khan now tops the all-time Asia Cup T20I wicket-takers list with 14 scalps in 10 matches at an average of 18.00, his best being 3/22. India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar drops to second with 13 wickets in six games at 9.46, best of 5/4.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh 154/5 (Tanzid Hasan 52, Towhid Hridoy 26; Noor Ahmad 2/23) beat Afghanistan 146 all out (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 35, Azmatullah Omarzai 30; Mustafizur Rahman 3/28) by 8 runs.
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