Chasing a modest 209, Afghanistan started their innings with a first-ball boundary but the Tigers fought back well. Shakib al hasan, who opened the bowling, took the wicket of opening batsman Nawroz Mangal in the fourth over.
Just one ball later, Shakib took the wicket of Rahmat Shah.
Debutant Mosaddek Hossain took the key wicket of Hashmatullah Shahidi in his very first ball of international cricket when he trapped him in front in the 14th over. He became the maiden Bangladeshi bowler to take a wicket in the very first ball on debut.
Shakib was brought in to the attack again and the bowling change immediately worked in the 16th over as the experienced all-rounder took the crucial wicket of Mohammad Shahzad. Shahzad played an aggressive innings of 35 in as many balls with four fours and two huge sixes. Bangladesh were in the driving seat as the Afghanistan were struggling at 63 for 4.
But then the visitors built a solid partnership for the fourth wicket. The experienced Mohammad Nabi and skipper Asghar Stanikzai crafted a 107-run partnership which brought Afghanistan right back in the game.
The partnership was eventually broken in the 40th over when Mashrafe bin Mortaza got the wicket of Nabi, who was one short of a well-deserved fifty. In the very next over, Stanikzai was back in the pavilion after making 57. His runs came from 95 deliveries and included four fours and two sixes.
Bangladesh were in a similar kind of situation like the first ODI as the visitors required 23 runs from six overs. Shakib came back and struck right away by claiming Rashid Khan in the fourth ball. It was the 100th wicket for Shakib at home.
Mushfiqur Rahim missed an easy stumping chance of Najibullah Zadran in the 47the over, bowled by Mosaddek, and it proved to be the home side’s undoing at the end.
Earlier, visiting captain Asghar Stanikzai won the toss and decided to bowl first.
Tigers opening batsmen Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarker made a steady start. They scored 43 run in the first powerplay. The first wicket fell in the 11th over when Tamim was caught at third man. Tamim was out for 20 from 36 balls. Mahmudullah was promoted at No 3. Soumya then lost his wicket cheaply, scoring 20. Both the openers spent time at the middle but were not able to carry the momentum forward.
Mahmudullah was in good touch and played solidly until he inside-edged a delivery onto the stumps off Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haque in the 25th over. He scored 25 from 39 balls.
Mushfiqur Rahim also played confidently but lost his wicket two overs later in a similar way much like the first ODI at the same venue on Sunday. He played his favourite slog sweep to clear the boundary off leg-spinner Rahmat Shah but this time, he was caught at deep mid wicket. Mushfiq scored 38 from 51 balls with four boundaries.
Shakib al Hasan played a couple of good shots but was adjudged lbw off spinner Mohammad Nabi’s arm-ball. He was dropped at cover just four balls prior to his dismissal.
Bangladesh were in further trouble in the 33rd over as Sabbir Rahman was also trapped in front while trying to pull a googly from leg-spinner Rashid Khan. He managed to score only four runs in 16 deliveries.
Debutant Mosaddek Hossain tried to build a partnership with tail ender Taijul Islam. They managed to score 28 runs for the eighth wicket partnership. But leggie Rashid struck a double blow in the 43rd over to remove Tajul and Taskin Ahmed off consecutive deliveries.
Mosaddek added 43 valuable runs with Rubel Hossain for the last wicket. Mosaddek was unbeaten on 45 runs with the help of four fours and two sixes.
Friday, July 24, 2026
