Bangladesh Edges Out Afghanistan in Thrilling Asia Cup Clash
In a nail-biting finish at the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi, Bangladesh scraped through with an eight-run win over Afghanistan. This victory keeps their Super 4 dreams alive in the tough Group B, but now they need Sri Lanka to beat Afghanistan in the next match to qualify.
Bangladesh captain Litton Das couldn’t hide his relief after the game. "Winning feels like a huge relief, but we didn’t bat well in the last few overs," he said during the post-match chat. His team posted 154 for 5 after a solid start. Openers Saif Hassan (30) and Tanzid Hasan (52) put on 63 runs in the first 10 overs, racing to 87 for 1. But things slowed down later, leaving them 15-20 runs short of a safer total, Litton admitted.
Defending the score turned into a real thriller. Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed struck gold early, dismissing Afghanistan’s hot form Sediqullah Atal on the first ball of their chase. Ibrahim Zadran followed soon after, and Mustafizur Rahman grabbed key wickets to keep the pressure on. The bowlers fought hard, swinging the momentum back and forth until the end. Nasum’s tight spell of 2 for 11 earned him Player of the Match honors. "I love bowling with the new ball—it’s a challenge I enjoy," he said, even though the sweaty conditions made gripping the ball tough.
Litton praised his bowlers, especially Nasum, who was back after a long break, and Rishad Hossain for that middle-overs breakthrough. The opening partnership was crucial too. As for rooting for rivals Sri Lanka? Litton joked, "I don’t know—let’s see what happens!"
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan was gutted. They needed just 30 runs off 15 balls at one point, but reckless shots let them down. "We were right in it until the end, but we put too much pressure on ourselves and couldn’t finish," Rashid said. His team bowled brilliantly to pull Bangladesh back from 90 for 1 to under 160, but their batting collapsed.
Still, Rashid focused on the positives. "Restricting them after that fast start was a big effort. It was a 160-170 wicket, but we played some silly shots." With Sri Lanka unbeaten and their must-win game against them coming up on Thursday, Rashid urged his side to learn fast. "Asia Cup matches are do-or-die. We need to stay mentally strong and prepare well."
Group B has been a real battle, with three teams still chasing those last two Super 4 spots. Bangladesh stumbled against Sri Lanka earlier, but this win over Afghanistan gives them hope. Will the Bangla Tigers get their wish? Only time will tell in this high-stakes Asia Cup showdown.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
