Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan put in an all-round performance against Bangladesh at the Asia Cup at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE Thursday as the former beat the latter by 136 runs in what turned out to be no more than a dead-rubber Group B match.
The Afghans and the Tigers had both qualified for the second round of the tournament, thus rendering Thursday's match into an insignificant affair.
Chasing 256, the Tigers were skittled out for 119 in 42.1 overs, Rashid leading the way with two wickets conceding just 13 runs from his nine overs. All-rounder Shakib al Hasan top-scored for Bangladesh with 32 while middle-order batsmen Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain chipped in with 27 and 26 not out respectively.
Earlier, birthday boy Rashid’s late unbeaten half-century propelled Afghanistan to 255 for the loss of seven wickets.
Since the tumultuous match of the 2015 @cricketworldcup, the matches between @BCBtigers and India have generated extra excitement on and off the field.https://t.co/GPAgMXXWMp#BCB #TIGERS #BCBTIGERS #CRICKET #INDIA #BCCI #BANGLADESHCRICKET #BANGLADESH #INDIACRICKETTEAM #CWC #WC
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) September 20, 2018
Given that the Tigers need to play their first Super Four game the next day, the side had rested wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim and left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman.
The strategy might have denied the jubilant Bangladesh crowd from a full-out fight from their team, but given the situation, they should take it with open arms. This opened the doors for the diminutive Mominul Haque to return to ODIs after around three years while left-arm pacer Abu Haider Rony made his debut in the format.
The third change was mandatory as opener Nazmul Hossain Shanto came in place of the injured Tamim Iqbal. Bangladesh’s intention to not burn out the players a night before the Super Four game was evident in the way they bowled the 50 overs.
Afghanistan won the toss and went to bat first but found themselves struggling. The side lost their first wicket to debutant Haider, who removed opener Ihsanullah in just the second over of the innings.
Nazmul contradicts stance on schedule change
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) September 20, 2018
BCB president Nazmul Hasan’s statement over the change in the Asia Cup schedule during the tournament has created confusion and contradiction. https://t.co/LPRNzHU1Sj#BCB #TIGERS #BCBTIGERS #CRICKET #BANGLADESH #BANGLADESHCRICKET
No 4 batsman Hashmatullah Shahidi added 58 in the middle while opener Mohammad Shahzad made 37 at the top of the order. With the fall of regular wickets and Bangladesh bowlers squeezing the batsmen, Afghanistan struggled to 160 losing seven wickets in 40.5 overs.
But as soon as Rashid joined No 8 batter Gulbadin Naib in the middle, the duo worked on a last-minute partnership, adding 95 unbroken runs for the eighth wicket and finishing the innings with a competitive total.
With Rashid as the aggressor, Afghanistan made merry of the Bangladesh bowlers, hammering 57 runs in the last five overs. Rashid remained unbeaten on a 32-ball 57 with eight boundaries and a six, registering his third ODI half-century. Naib remained not out on 42 off 38 balls with five fours.
Among the eight Bangladesh bowlers used in the attack, left-arm spinner Shakib was the only one to complete 10 overs, finishing with four wickets conceding 42 runs. The occasion was the first in 28 ODIs that Shakib bagged four wickets. The last time he picked up a four-for in ODIs was also against Afghanistan, in Dhaka two years ago.
Abu Haider Rony, who came to the international scene in 2016 through a T20I, was introduced in the attack at the second over and bagged a maiden ODI wicket, dismissing Afghanistan opener Ihsanullah in just the fourth ball, following back-to-back fourshttps://t.co/ndCIqXNij0#BCB
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) September 20, 2018
BRIEF SCORE
Bangladesh 119 in 42.1 overs (Shakib 32, Rashid 2/13) lost to Afghanistan 255/7 (Shahidi 58, Shakib 4/42) by 136 runs
Group B
Teams M W L Pts NRR
Afghanistan (Q) 2 2 0 4 2.27
Bangladesh (Q) 2 1 1 2 0.01
Sri Lanka (E) 2 0 2 0 -2.28
Q – Qualified for Super Four
E - Eliminated
