Bangladesh lose first T20 to Afghanistan by huge 45 runs

The Tigers won the toss and chose to field on Sunday at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium hoping to restrict them to a low total on a slow pitch.

But their plan went out the window as the Afghans profited from some wayward bowling to put up 167 for 8 in 20 overs.

Bangladesh were jolted in the chase when Tamim Iqbal was sent back by off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the very first ball of the innings. But the other opener, Liton Das, storked 30 off 20 balls to give his side a decent start.

They appeared to be on course at 80 for 3 at the halfway mark but kept on losing wickets from then on.

Afghan spin wizard Rashid Khan turned the game on its head in the 11th over. He bowled Mushfiqur Rahim trying to sweep for 20 with his first ball.

With his second delivery, the leg-spinning sensation bamboozled Sabbir Rahman with a googly for 0. His man-of-the-match performance of 3 for 13 took the steam out of the chase.

Bangladesh could not recover from the double blow and only Mahmudullah showed some fightwith 29 off 25 balls.

Afghanistan’s spin trio of Rashid, Mujeeb and Mohammad Nabi took 6 wickets for only 54 runs in 11 overs.

Fast bowler Shapoor Zardan claimed three wickets in his last over to return 3 for 40 as Bangladesh chase folded for 122 with a over to spare.

Earlier, the Afghans scored 71 off the last five overs, with 52 of them coming off the last three overs, in a late flourish to put the competitive total on the board.

A brilliant 62-run partnership between openers Mohammad Shahzad (40) and Usman Ghani (26) gave them the launchpad for a late assault.

Skipper Asghar Stanikzai consolidated the innings with 25 but Afghanistan lost their way in the middle overs thanks to some tight bowling by the Bangladesh spinners.

They slipped from 62 for no loss to 91 for 4 before Samiullah Shenwari’s 36 off 18 deliveries and Shafiqullah Shafiq’s 24 from only 8 balls got them to the total.

The Bangladeshi pacers led by Rubel Hossain took a hammering as they missed their Yorkers and were tonked around the park at will by the Afghan batsmen.

The Tigers will need to win on Tuesday to keep the series alive.

Source: Bdnews24.