Bangladesh drew first blood in the 3-match T20I series as they won the first match by 4 wickets with 8 balls left. Bangladesh played the key moments better than Afghanistan and were the better side although the Afghans showed some glimpses out there. Afghanistan batting first were restricted to 151/9 in 20 overs with Gurbaz scoring 40 and Nabi scoring 38 as Rishad Hossain and Tanzim Hasan Sakib picked up 3 wickets apiece.
In reply, Bangladesh rode on sparkling half-centuries from Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan to get the job done. Bangladesh survived the Rashid Khan effect and weathered the storm of 4/18 in 4 overs almost winning it for Afghanistan. But it was not to be as Bangladesh through Rishad and Nurul Hasan took the side over the line in the end.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz & Mohammad Nabi helps Afghanistan get to 151/9
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal came out to open for Afghanistan while Taskin Ahmed had ball in hand for Bangladesh. Ibrahim made his intentions clear as he leaned the square drive past the point fielder for a boundary. Ibrahim was on the charge as he hit Taskin for two more boundaries between point and cover and then through short fine leg for a boundary. Nasum Ahmed shared the new ball from the other end. Atal was dropped by Nasum off the latter’s own bowling as it was a tough chance.
Taskin continued as Atal got into the act as he drove the bowler through the covers for a boundary. Nasum continued as Atal got a triple before Nasum provided the breakthrough for Bangladesh removing Ibrahim for 15 off 10 balls with 3 boundaries to her name. Nasum from around the wicket bowled a flighted delivery pitched on a good length and off-stump line came back with the arm. Ibrahim cleared the front leg and went for a big hoick across the line and got a feather of an under edge dragged the ball back on off and middle stump. Rahmanullah Gurbaz came out to bat next and got off the mark soon.
Tanzim Hasan Sakib was introduced into the attack next. Gurbaz greeted Sakib with an inside out shot through cover and mid-off for a boundary. Sakib bounced back as a few ball later he got rid of Atal for 10 off 12 balls with a boundary to her name. Sakib from around the wicket bowled a length ball fired on the middle stump line. Atal looked to flick it through the midwicket region but got a leading edge to go high up in the air. Parvez Hossain Emon at covers settled underneath it and took the catch. Darwish Rasooli came out to bat next.
Mustafizur Rahman came into the attack to post the final over of powerplay. A huge mix-up between the two batters meant Rasooli was run out for a silver duck as Afghanistan lost another wicket inside the powerplay. Mohammad Ishaq came out to bat next. Gurbaz once again survived a run-out scare at the bowler’s end but survived by getting back in time. At the end of the powerplay of 6 overs, Afghanistan were reeling at 33/3.
Rishad Hossain came into the attack post the powerplay and was greeted with a maximum by Gurbaz hitting the bowler straight down the ground for the maximum. Rishad hit back a few balls later and got rid of Ishaq for 1 off 4 balls. Rishad bowled a flighted ball on length outside the off-stump, Ishaq went for a lofted sweep shot and aimed to go over midwicket but got a top edge. Shamim at deep square leg ran a couple of yards in to take a simple catch. Azmatullah Omarzai came out to bat next and got off the mark soon.
Nasum returned to the bowling crease and bowled a decent over. Rishad continued as Gurbaz got down on one knee and dispatched it to clear long-on for the maximum. Omarzai got into the act as he smashed Rishad over mid-off for a boundary. Tanzim came back into the attack as Omarzai smashed him over extra cover for a maximum. At the end of 10 overs at the halfway stage of the innings, Afghanistan were 65/4 when players took the Drinks Break.
Mustafizur Rahman returned to the bowling crease after the break. Gurbaz showcased deft touch by opening the face of the bat and beat the diving keeper for a boundary to third man. Rishad changed ends and got rid of Omarzai for 18 off 18 balls with a boundary and maximum to his name. Rishad tossed it up fullish delivery at the off and middle stump. Omarzai got it in the slot and bent low to hit it over long-on but failed to time it properly. The ball flew towards long-on as Tanzim Hasan Sakib took the catch. Mohammad Nabi came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Taskin returned to the attack and bowled a tight over. Rishad continued as Nabi made room and smashed it straight down the ground for the maximum. Rishad completed his decent spell with the ball. Gurbaz then launched Sakib down the ground over mid-off for the maximum. Sakib hit back getting rid of Gurbaz for 40 off 31 balls with 2 fours and 3 sixes to his name.
Tanzim bowled a slower ball on a length outside off, Gurbaz didn’t pick up the change of pace and he tried to slice it. He got it off the upper half of his bat and it flew towards point where Rishad took the catch. Sharafuddin Ashraf came out to bat next, After 15 overs, Afghanistan were struggling at 95/6.
Nasum came back for his final over and bowled a decent over as the 100 came up for Afghanistan in 16 overs. Mustafizur Rahman came back into the attack next. Nabi broke the shackles by tickling it past short fine leg for a boundary. Taskin came to bowl his final over as Nabi took the attack to the opposition by launching back-to-back sixes off Taskin both over deep midwicket for the maximum. Nabi struck again two balls later over deep backward square leg for the maximum. But Taskin hit back and got rid of Nabi for 38 off 25 balls with one four and 4 sixes to his name.
Taskin bowled a fuller than length ball around the sixth stump, a knuckle ball to be precise. Nabi shuffled back and across and swung his bat. He got the height and not the distance as Rishad settled underneath it at long-on to take the catch. Rashid Khan the captain came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary past the keeper. Mustafizur continued and got rid of Rashid for 4 off 2 balls with a boundary to his name.
The Fizz bowled a length delivery angling across the batter. This was a bit fuller as well. Rashid tried to use the outgoing angle and dabbed at it. He got it but Jaker dived to his right and took it inches above the fence. Noor Ahmad came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary over point region for a boundary. The Fizz completed his impressive spell.
Sakib was tasked to bowl the final over of the innings. Ashraf took him on and went straight over wide long-on for the maximum. Ashraf then got himself room and drove through the cover point region for a boundary. The 150 came up for Afghanistan in 19.5 overs. There was a run out to end the innings as Ashraf wanted the second run but Noor was run out at the bowler’s end for 6 off 4 balls with a boundary to his name. Ashraf was unbeaten on 17 off 12 balls with one four and one six to his name as Afghanistan finished their innings at 151/9 in 20 overs. Just 2 extras given by Bangladesh team.
It was a good bowling performance for Bangladesh. Rishad Hossain was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/33 in 4 overs. Tanzim Hasan Sakib chipped in with 2/34 in 4 overs. Mustafizur Rahman finished an impressive spell with figures of 1/24 in 4 overs. Nasum Ahmed bowled really well for his 1/18 in 4 overs. Taskin Ahmed went the distance as he finished with 1/40 in 4 overs. It meant Bangladesh needed 152 runs to win off 20 overs to take a 1-0 lead in this 3-match T20I series.
Parvez Hossain Emon & Tanzid Hasan’s sparking 50s helps Bangladesh get over the line in a tense contest
Chasing 152 for the win, Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon came out to bat for Bangladesh while Fareed Ahmad Malik had ball in hand for Afghanistan. Tanzid made his intentions clear by pulling the bowler over short midwicket for a boundary. Azmatullah Omarzai had ball in hand from the other end. He bowled a decent first over. Mohammad Nabi was introduced into the attack. Nabi too kept things under check. Emon then broke the shackles hitting Omarzai for a right to the right of mid-on.
Tanzid joined in the fun as he flicked the ball to his right and to the fine leg fence for a boundary. Nabi continued as Emon welcomed him with a maximum over wide long-on for the maximum. Emon got a life when Gurbaz ran forward from deep at long-off but the ball reached him on the bounce to the diving fielder. Emon then took the attack to Nabi who bowled a low full toss. Emon shuffled to go to the line of the ball and heaved it over cow corner for the maximum. Emon got a reprieve as Farid Ahmad put him down at fine leg. The bowler was Nabi and he was pissed off at the efforts.
Captain Rashid Khan came into the attack inside the powerplay. Emon managed to hit a boundary by sweeping through vacant forward square leg for a boundary. At the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh had brought up their 50 and were 50/0 in 6 overs. Nabi continued and was smashed via a slog sweep over deep midwicket for the maximum.
Noor Ahmad was introduced into the attack. Tanzid launched Noor over the bowler’s head straight as an arrow for the maximum. Noor conceded 4 byes to the batting side. Rashid continued as Emon swept it away through the midwicket region for a boundary. Sharafuddin Ashraf was introduced into the attack as was greeted with the maximum by Tanzid over wide long-on straight down the ground. Ashraf overstepped. The Free Hit yielded a single.
Emon did take on Emon and deposited it over midwicket region for the maximum. At the end of 10 overs, Bangladesh were cruising at 95/0 at the halfway stage of the chase as umpires called for Drinks Break. Noor returned for a fresh spell after the break. Emon reached his half-century off 35 balls. Tanzid Hasan lofted the bowler down the track and it landed just short of the fence for a boundary. Fareed returned to the bowling crease. Soon, Tanzid fell after completing 34 balls. Tanzid brought up his half-century off 34 balls. Emon launched a beautiful flat batted hit over extra covers for a boundary.
Malik struck and got rid of the budding stand as Emon was dismissed for 54 off 37 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes to his name. Malik bowled a good length incoming delivery on the middle stump line. Emon cleared the front leg to swing down the ground and got beaten on the inside edge and the ball hit the back pad. The appeal is given OUT. Fair delivery and no bat to be involved either. Three Reds flashed on Hawkeye for Bangladesh and it was three reds and will find it difficult to score the remaining runs. Saif Hassan came out to bat next. Rashid then stormed back as he got rid of Saif Hassan for a bronze duck.
Rashid bowled a full length googly on the middle stump line. Saif was drawn forward and beaten on the inside edge. The DRS was taken as the ball hit the front pad in front of Hassan. The decision was changed to OUT with that dismissal. Captain Jaker Ali came out to bat for Bangladesh. Rashid was on a roll next as he got rid of Tanzid Hasan for 51 off 37 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes to her name. Rashid went back went wide of the crease pitching the ball outside the crease pitching the ball on length outside off-stump. Another googlu attempted Tanzid to go back in crease and push at the ball. Shamim Hossain came out to bat next.
Jaker Ali hit Noor for a boundary down the ground by playing a lofted sweep shot behind square as the ball went away to the deep backward square leg position. Rashid returned and got another as Atal went for 6 off 7 balls with one boundary to her name. Rashid bowled a short of a length googly pitching just outside the off-stump. Jaker missed the sweep shot and was struck high on the pad around the knee roll. The big appeal and the finger went up. The review was taken as the ball crashed the off-stump and impact was umpire’s call. The review was retained but the captain had to go back to the hut. Nurul Hasan came out to bat next. Rashid struck again getting rid of Hossain for a duck.
Rashid from around the wicket bowled a good length leg break pitching outside off-stump and sharply coming back in to hit Shamim on the stumps. He went far back in the crease and never got going for a shape to get on the ball. The umpire gave it OUT. Review was taken as three reds flashed on the screen. Tanzim Hasan Sakib came out to bat next. Rashid Khan finishes his spell with figures of 4/18 in 4 overs. After 15 overs, Bangladesh had slumped to 117/5 after being 99/0 in 10 overs. 35 was needed off 30 balls.
Noor Ahmad came to bowl his final over. He got rid of Sakib for a bronze duck. Noor bowled too full and quick the finger. Tanzim wanted to refer it, but no DRS was available as Pakistan had burnt their reviews. Too full and quick through the air pitching on middle and leg stump. Tanzim went for the sweep and got beaten to get struck plumb in front. The batter had to go back to the hut. Rishad Hossain came out to bat next. Ashraf returned to the bowling crease. Rishad managed to get a boundary away by pulling in front of square.
Malik came to bowl the 18th over as Nurul got his first boundary away by pulling the back of the length ball in the air and shuffled towards the off-stump. The ball landed in between the converging players. Rishad got into the act again as he swung across the line and got it over the keeper’s head for a boundary. Ishaq tried to leap in the air but got nothing on the fingertips.
Nurul stood up when counted as he smashed a maximum down the ground to clear long-on. The next ball was a shuffle from Nurul across early to ramp it and got the elevation up and over third man for the maximum. The winning runs came off Rishad’s bat off the bowling off Omarzai as the short ball from the bowler. Rishad swung across the line and got the leading edge over the keeper’s head for a fine leg fence to get the boundary. Bangladesh in the end win by 4 wickets with 8 balls to spare. Nurul was unbeaten on 23 off 13 balls with 1 four and 2 sixes to his name. Rishad Hossain was unbeaten on 14 off 9 balls with 3 fours to his name. 5 extras given by the fielding side.
Rashid Khan was the star for Afghanistan with magical figures of 4/19 in 4 overs. Fareed Ahmad Malik got a wicket for 26 runs in 3 overs. Noor Ahmad bowled a good spell of 1/21 in 4 overs. The rest of the bowlers went the distance. So, Bangladesh win by 4 wickets with 8 balls to spare. For his quickfire innings, Parvez Hossain Emon was awarded the Player of the Match award.
What Lies Ahead
Both teams stay at Sharjah and will once again play on 3rd October 2025 in the second T20I of the 3-match series. Bangladesh who are up 1-0 in the series will try to seal the deal here while Afghanistan will want to fight back and level the series 1-1. Which way is this clash going to go later tonight? Only time will tell.
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