Bangladesh cricket has hit rock bottom and by the time this article reaches to you, you already know why.
The “Tigers” have given away not only the golden opportunity of making it to their first ever semi-final in an International Cricket Council event, but also got draped in humiliation after losing an all-important game to the darling of the cricket world, Afghanistan.
Bangladesh, playing their last match in the Super Eight stage of the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup, needed to chase 116 runs in 12.1 overs which they failed.
But then disaster struck when they were unable to simply reach the target in 20 overs as Afghanistan stormed into the semis.
The Afghans only started contesting T20 Internationals in 2010 and featured in their first T20 World Cup in the same year.
Afghanistan, who were given full ICC membership only in 2017, shamed Bangladesh by a mere eight runs to write history at Arnos Vale Stadium in Saint Vincent Tuesday amid rain breaks and open display of Afghan desperateness.
The other side of the story is Bangladesh have not only gone home but also taken Australia down with them.
Former champions Australia were hoping for a Bangladesh victory against Afghanistan, but not by a big margin that would push the Aussies out.
Bangladesh bowlers registered a superlative effort after Afghanistan chose to bat first.
The Bangladesh bowlers made good use of the condition to hold back runs, frustrate the Afghan batters and grab the momentum as wickets fell.
Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain got Bangladesh their first wicket in the 11th over, that of Ibrahim Zadran (18), and then dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz (43) after Mustafizur Rahman removed Azmatullah Omarzai (10) in between.
Right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed removed the experienced Mohammad Nabi after the batter added just one run to the board.
Only three Afghan batters scored in double digit as Bangladesh bowlers kept the opposition to 115 for five in 20 overs.
Rishad finished with three scalps conceding 26 runs in four overs.
Bangladesh knew they had to win in 12.1 overs to turn the net run-rate in their favor, finish second in Group 1 and grab a spot in the semis.
But as it happened and as explained by captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh during the chase had a change in plans – from finishing inside 12.1 overs to ending the game with just a win after they lost three wickets early.
Bangladesh lost the veteran Shakib al Hasan (nought) and Shanto (five) to successive balls from Naveen-ul-Haq in the third over and it appeared that was that.
Bangladesh from there never seemed like chasing down the total inside 12.1 overs and having failed to do so, they remained in contention for a consolation win that would have seen Australia qualify instead of the Afghans.
But they failed even in that as Soumya Sarkar struggled to 10 off 10 deliveries, Towhid Hridoy added 14 in nine balls while experienced campaigner Mahmudullah looked lost, scoring just six runs.
Famed as one of the best finishers in Bangladesh cricket arena, Mahmudullah perhaps displayed the ugliest part of the chase when the right-handed batter played five dot balls to 13-T20I-old left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad in the 10th over.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan initiated a double blow in the next over as he first removed Mahmudullah and then Rishad to leave Bangladesh reeling on 80 for seven in 11 overs.
Bangladesh now were not only far away from achieving the target of finishing second in the group but had also drifted away from the consolation win.
Tanzim Hasan Sakib (three) perished to Gulbadin Naib in the 15th over and the final nail in the coffin was hammered by Naveen in the 18th over as he accounted for the wickets of Taskin and Mustafizur in successive deliveries.
That was the call for Afghanistan to burst into celebrations.
They will now play South Africa in the semi-finals in Trinidad Thursday, and are one match away from facing either England or India in Saturday's final.
52ND MATCH
Afghanistan 115/5 (Gurbaz 43, Rishad 3/26) beat Bangladesh 105 in 17.5 overs (Liton 54*, Rashid 4/23) by 8 runs (DLS method)
