In a pivotal do-or-die match for Bangladesh at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium during the Asia Cup 2023, Bangladesh demonstrated their mettle by securing a commanding 89-run victory over Afghanistan. Winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Bangladesh posted a formidable total of 334-5 in their allotted 50 overs. Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi‘s tactics were quite questionable. Hashmatullah Shahidi wasn’t able to exert the pressure.
In response, Afghanistan could only muster 245 runs in 44.3 overs. This crucial victory ensures that Bangladesh’s tournament hopes remain alive, particularly as they strive to avoid finishing last in Group B.
Top Performers of the Match
The standout performer of the match was Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who opened the innings and scored a brilliant 112 runs off 119 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes, at a strike rate of 94.12. This marked his second ODI century. Unfortunately, he had to retire hurt due to cramps in the sweltering Lahore heat.
Najmul Hossain Shanto also played a crucial role, contributing 104 runs from 105 balls, featuring 9 fours and 2 sixes. His 194-run partnership with Miraz set Bangladesh on a dominant path.
In the second innings, Afghanistan’s batting struggled, with only Ibrahim Zadran managing a notable performance, scoring 75 runs off 74 balls, and their skipper, Hashmatullah Shahidi, contributing 51 runs off 60 balls. However, Afghanistan’s chase faltered as they faced difficulties in keeping up with the required run rate.
Bangladesh’s pacers, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, shone with excellent bowling performances. Taskin took 4 wickets in 8.3 overs, conceding 44 runs, while Shoriful claimed 3 wickets in 9 overs, giving away 36 runs. Their combined efforts played a crucial role in restricting Afghanistan well below the target.
Shakib Al Hasan Led Bangladesh Comeback in Style
Bangladeshi fans must be thrilled with their team’s performance, especially the experimental decision to promote Mehidy Hasan Miraz as an opener. The success of this experiment raises questions about whether Shakib Al Hasan will continue with the same opening pair in the upcoming matches. Bangladesh’s impressive victory has significantly boosted their run rate, making it challenging for Afghanistan to surpass in their remaining group stage match against Sri Lanka on September 5th.
Run Rate was really low, that’s why we couldn’t win – Hashmatullah Shahidi
During the post match presentation, Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi was quite dejected as the side failed to put up on a fight and lamented the poor performance of the bowling unit and Hashmatullah Shahidi highlighted that their fielding wasn’t upto the mark as well.
“I thought the target was chase-able. The outfield was quick and the target was chaseable, but we lost wickets. Their bowlers were good in the beginning, and our run rate was really low, that’s why we couldn’t win,” said Hashmatullah Shahidi.
“We need to improve in all the departments. Today our bowling was not good enough, neither was our fielding. Lahore is near our country, so the fans were waiting for this game. Hopefully they will come and support us again in the next game,” he added.
Looking Ahead
Bangladesh has played both their group stage matches and will now anxiously watch Afghanistan take on Sri Lanka on September 5th at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium at 2:30 PM local time. This match will determine the final standings in Group B and will have a significant impact on which teams advance to the Super Four round of the Asia Cup 2023.
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