Desk Report:
When Tanjid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon made a century partnership in the opening innings, it seemed that Bangladesh would win easily. When Bangladesh reached their team century in the 11th over, relying on this pair, they needed 48 runs from 54 balls to win. At that time, the team’s run rate was 9.45. And the required run rate was only 5.33. Even from such a favorable position, there was a fear of ‘can you win’ at one point. In the end, Bangladesh won by 4 wickets.
After the team’s opening partnership was broken for 109 runs, the old ghost of collapsing and collapsing returned to the Bangladesh team’s batting. The team’s score went from 109 without a wicket to 118 for 6 wickets at one stage! That is, Bangladesh lost 6 wickets after adding 9 runs!
Both openers scored fifties before being dismissed. Emon reached his fifty in 35 balls and scored 54 in 37 balls. His innings was studded with 4 fours and 3 sixes. And Tanjid reached fifty in 34 balls and scored 51 runs in 37 balls with 3 fours and a pair of sixes.
The four batters who were dismissed after the two openers—0 (Saif Hasan), 6 (Zaker Ali), 0 (Shamim Hossain), 0 Tanjim Shakib. The rapid fall of six wickets slowed down the pace of scoring runs. At one point, the Afghans also raised the possibility of winning the match that was in Bangladesh’s hands. But before the last over, Bangladesh won with the batting determination of Nurul Hasan Sohan.
Bangladesh needed 16 runs to win in the last two overs. However, without worrying the fans too much, Nurul Hasan Sohan hit two sixes in the first two balls of the 19th over bowled by Azmatullah Omarzai and 1 run in the third ball. Bangladesh won with 8 balls in hand when Rishad Hossain hit a four in the fourth ball. Sohan scored 23* in 13 balls. Rishad remained unbeaten on 14 runs in 9 balls. They fought bravely against the current. They put up an unbroken partnership of 35 runs off 18 balls for the seventh wicket.
Rashid Khan took 4 wickets for 18 runs with the ball.
Earlier, Afghanistan batted first and scored 151 runs for 9 wickets. Seeing the start of the Afghan innings, it did not seem that they would be able to score 150 runs. But Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 40 and Mohammad Nabi’s 38 runs contributed to the Afghans’ score passing 150 after losing 4 wickets for 40 runs.
Nasum brought the breakthrough in the fourth over. Ibrahim Zadran returned (15). Tanzim Hasan Shakib dismissed another opener, Sediqullah Atal (10) in the next over. Darwish Rasuli was run out, and the Afghans’ score in the 6th over of the powerplay was 33/3. Rishad Hossain did not do it again in the middle overs. In the seventh over, he dismissed Mohammad Ishaq. Azmatullah Omarzai tried to settle down. Rishadha returned it before opening his hands to play.
Nasum Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman also tested the Afghan batsmen. They gave away less runs despite taking just 1 wicket each. Mohammad Nabi increased the Afghan run rate towards the end. He scored 38 runs off 25 balls with 1 four and 4 sixes. The highest score of 40 runs came off the bat of Rahmanullah Gurbaz in 31 balls.
