Bangladesh held their nerves under extreme pressure with the bat and ball and in the field to eke out a 8-run win and keep their Super 4s hopes alive in Abu Dhabi. Bangladesh were a determined team and deserved the win in the end against Lacklustre Afghanistan. Batting first, they rode on Tanzid Hasan’s 52 and contributions from others to take the score to 154/5 in 20 overs.
In reply, an all-round bowling effort from Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Rishad Hossain, and Taskin Ahmed helped Bangladesh restrict Afghanistan to 146 all out in 20 overs as Bangladesh held their nerves and spiced up Group B with Afghanistan having all to do in their last game on Thursday against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh deserved the win in the end.
Tanzid Hasan’s Brilliant Half-Century Propels Bangladesh To 154/5
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Saif Hassan and Tanzid Hasan came out to bat for Bangladesh while Fazalhaq Farooqi had ball in place for Afghanistan. Farooqi bowled a good first over even as Azmatullah Omarzai almost pulled off a screamer at extra covers but couldn’t hold on. Azmatullah Omarzai came onto bowl next as Saif heaved it aerially behind square for a boundary.
Farooqi continued as Tanzid took him on and got a boundary between keeper and slip fielder for a boundary. Tanzid got another streaky boundary past the slip fielder. Tanzid survived a close LBW shout as the DRS showed that it was umpire’s call on hitting the stumps. Tanzid then took the attack to Farooqi hitting him for back-to-back boundaries to end the over.
Allah Ghazanfar came onto bowl next. Saif hit him downtown back over the bowler’s head for the maximum. Omarzai changed ends as Saif hit him for a boundary through the midwicket region. Ghazanfar came to bowl the final over of powerplay as Tanzid took the attack to him by launching him by slog sweeping over midwicket region for the maximum. The partnership crossed the 50-run mark in 5.4 overs after a long time. Tanzid hit a maximum by sweeping it over square leg for the maximum as Bangladesh reached 59/0 after 6 overs at the end of powerplay.
Captain Rashid Khan came into the attack post the powerplay. He got rid of Saif Hassan in his first over getting him for 30 off 28 balls with 2 fours and a maximum to his name. Rashid bowled a googly on a good length on off-stump. Saif took his front leg out of the way and looked to slog it across the line but missed it completely. The ball goes and hits the off-stump. Captain Litton Das came out to bat next and got off the mark soon.
Mohammad Nabi came into the attack next and bowled a decent first over. Rashid continued and bowled a decent over. Nabi continued as Tanzid hit the flatter and quicker delivery by rocking back and pulling it away over deep square leg region for the maximum. At the end of 10 overs, Bangladesh were 87/1 as the players paused for the Drinks Break.
Noor Ahmad came into the attack after the break and got rid of Litton Das for 9 off 11 balls on a successful usage of DRS by Afghanistan. He tossed it up full around leg stump which was a googly. Litton shuffled across the stumps and missed the sweep on the inside edge. He wore it low on the front pad. Ball Tracking showed the ball pitching in line and hit the stumps as well. The decision was reversed to OUT. Towhid Hridoy came out to bat next and got off the mark. Noor gave nothing away in his first over.
Ghazanfar returned to the attack as Tanzid completed his half-century in 28 balls in what was his seventh T20I fifty. Hrioy hit Noor for the maximum between the gap of deep midwicket and deep square leg by going deep in his crease as the 100 came up for Bangladesh in 12.1 overs. Noor then got rid of Tanzid for 52 off 31 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes to his name.
Noor tossed it up full around middle and leg stump which was a googly from Noor. Tanzid made room for himself and looked to play the inside out shot. He lofted it from the inner half of his bat. Ibrahim at long-off settled underneath it and took a comfortable catch. Shamim Hossain came out to bat next. Rashid returned to the attack as Shamim guided it past Farooqi at backward point for a boundary. Shamim slog swept it away along the ground in the gap between deep backward square leg and deep midwicket. Noor continued as Hridoy cut him away for a boundary at backward point with Omarzai misfielding as well.
At the end of 15 overs, Bangladesh were 119/3. Rashid Khan continued and got rid of Shamim Hossain for 11 off 11 balls with 2 fours to his name. He tossed it up full around the off-stump which was a leggie from Rashid. It pitched and turned back in a shade. Shamim looked to flick it away on the leg side. He got beaten on the inside edge and wore it low on the front pad. Shamim reviewed in hope and saw Three Reds on Ball Tracking and so he went with burning a review as well. Jaker Ali came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Jaker hammered Noor away by heaving it into the gap of deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Hridoy survived a minor LBW scare as the ball hit his gloves before hitting the pad. Farooqi came back and gave a lot of twos as the boundaries had dried up momentarily. Omarzai came back to bowl the 19th over and dismissed Hridoy for 26 off 20 balls with a boundary and maximum to his name.
Omarzai from over the wicket bowled full and wide outside off-stump with a pace on delivery. Hridoy went back and across and drove it powerfully on the off-side. He failed to keep it down. He hit it flat and hard straight to Karim Janat at extra cover who did not have to move an inch. He took a good catch. Nurul Hasan came out to bat next. He got off the mark with a boundary getting it just over mid-off.
Omarzai did well to end the over without further damage. Farooqi got the opportunity to bowl the final over of the innings. Nurul managed to get back in time and survived a run out scare. Nurul then hit a cheeky shot by playing the ramp over short fine leg for a boundary. There was another break in play, as Nurul hurt his right ankle as the physio worked on him to put strapping on the right ankle. In the end, Bangladesh ended with 154/5 in 20 overs. Jaker Ali remained unbeaten on 12 off 13 balls with one boundary to his name. Nurul Hasan remained unbeaten on 12 off 6 balls with 2 fours to his name. 2 extras given by Afghanistan bowlers.
The Afghanistan bowlers pulled things back with Noor Ahmad leading the way with figures of 2/23 in 4 overs. Rashid Khan the captain stood up with figures of 2/26 in 4 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai chipped in with 1/19 in 3 overs. Fazalhaq Farooqi gave away 37 runs in 4 overs and was expensive out there. Allah Ghazanfar conceded 32 runs in 3 overs. Mohammad Nabi gave away 17 runs in 2 overs. This meant Afghanistan now needed 155 to win off 20 overs to win and qualify for Super 4s alongside Sri Lanka.
All-Round Bowling Performance led by Mustafizur Rahman helps Bangladesh edge out Afghanistan by 8 runs
Chasing 155 for the win, Sediqullah Atal and Rahmanullah Gurbaz came out to open for Afghanistan. Nasum Ahmed had ball in hand for Bangladesh and gave Bangladesh a dream start dismissing Sediqullah Atal for a golden duck. He bowled a good length delivery on the off and middle stump, Atal was rooted to the crease and played on the back foot. He tried to defend but skidded through to beat the inside edge and thud him on the knee roll. The straighter delivery from the left-arm spinner and Atal failed to put bat to it. The finger was raised as Atal walked back in the hut.
Ibrahim Zadran came out to bat next as Nasum bowled a wicket maiden. Taskin Ahmed came onto bowl from the other end and bowled a decent over even as Rishad dropped Ibrahim Zadran at backward point when he was on 0. Gurbaz finally broke the shackles as he hit Nasum for a boundary clearing mid-on. Ibrahim got into the act as he hit Taskin for a boundary past diving backward point region. Gurbaz hit Taskin for a boundary over extra covers.
Nasum struck again as he got rid of Ibrahim for 5 off 12 balls with a boundary to his name. He bowled from around the wicket a full length delivery angled into the leg stump. Ibrahim stayed from the crease without transferring weight onto the front foot. He missed a straight bat stroke, looking for a push. He got beaten on the inside edge and got hit on the back knee roll. Ibrahim reviewed it and umpire’s call it was on hitting the stumps. Gulbadin Naib came out to bat next.
There was a run out scare next between the two batters, but Bangladesh missed out on the opportunity and the Afghans survived. Mustafizur Rahman was introduced into the attack for the last over of powerplay. Naib hit him for a boundary past short fine leg. At the end of the powerplay, Afghanistan were in a spot of bother at 27/2 in 6 overs. Rishad Hossain came into the attack next as Gurbaz survived another run out scare. He bowled well. Shamim Hossain came into the attack next. Shamim overstepped and the free hit was put away by Naib for a boundary.
Gurbaz then launched Shamim over long-off straight down the ground for the maximum. The 50 came up for Afghanistan in 8.1 overs. Rishad got rid of Naib for 16 off 14 balls with 2 fours to his name. He bowled full on the middle stump. Naib leant forward and closed his bat face a bit early, looked to flick across the line and got a leading edge to the left of the bowler. A simple chance in his follow through was taken by him. Veteran Mohammad Nabi came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Saif Hassan came into the attack next. Gurbaz slammed him over long-off for the maximum. At the end of 10 overs, Afghanistan were 61/3 as the players took the Drinks Break. Afghanistan now needed 94 runs off 60 balls. Rishad Hossain returned to the attack and got rid of Gurbaz for 35 off 31 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name. He tossed it up full around fourth stump line a leggie from Rishad. Gurbaz shuffled across the stumps and got down on one knee and swept it firmly behind square on the leg side. He timed it too well and failed to keep it along the ground. Jaker Ali at deep square leg settled underneath it and took a comfortable catch. Azmatullah Omarzai came out to bat next and got off the mark.
Nabi launched Saif over wide long-on for the maximum. Mustafizur returned to the bowling crease as Nabi fell for 15 off 15 balls with a maximum to his name. He bowled a good length delivery around the fourth stump line angling across the batter. He bowled it slightly fuller as Nabi hung back and looked to steer it down towards third man as he got an inside edge as the ball crashed into the stumps. Karim Janat came out to bat next.
Omarzai decided to take Saif on as he hit him for a boundary followed by a maximum off the first two balls. The fourth ball disappeared too for the maximum as 20 runs came off the over. Rishad Hossain returned to the attack as Afghanistan brought up their 100 in 14.4 overs. After 15 overs, Afghanistan were 102/5 and needed 53 runs off 30 balls.
Taskin Ahmed returned to the attack. Omarzai smashed Taskin over deep midwicket for the maximum. But Taskin hit back getting rid of Omarzai for 30 off 16 balls with one four and 3 sixes to his name. He bowled a slower ball on a length around fifth stump. Omarzai made room for himself and was through the shot a bit early. He looked to slice it away aerially over the top of backward point. He mistimed it straight up in the air. It went high up in the night sky. Saif settled underneath it at backward point and took a good catch. Rashid Khan came out to bat and got off the mark straightaway.
Rashid launched Mustafizur with a no look shot over fine leg for the maximum. Rashid then cut him away over deep backward point for a boundary. The equation boiled down to 31 off 18 balls. Karim Janat got run out for no reason whatsoever for 6 off 8 balls. Noor Ahmad came to the crease and got off the mark straightaway. It boiled down now to 27 off 12 balls. Mustafizur came to bowl the 19th over as Rashid whipped him towards backward square leg for a boundary. But the Fizz hit back getting rid of Rashid for 20 off 11 balls with 2 fours and a maximum to his name.
He bowled a yorker around 5th stump line and off-cutter from Mustafizur, Rashid looked to squeeze it away between the gap of backward point and short third man. He guided it uppishly as the fielder at short third man took a simple catch at the edge of the circle. Allah Ghazanfar came out to bat next but fell first ball for a golden duck. He bowled a short of a good length around fourth stump line, angling across the batter. Ghazanfar looked to poke it away from his body. No footwork from him as he got a thick outside edge to Litton for a regulation catch. Fazalhaq Farooqi came and survived the hat-trick ball.
A run out chance was shelved at the bowler’s end as Fizz made a mess of the ball collection and whipped off the bails. Taskin came to bowl the final over of the innings. Noor hit some lusty blows as he hit Taskin over long-on for a maximum and repeated the dose two balls later again straight down the ground as well. Taskin ended with a wicket dismissing Noor for 14 off 9 balls with 2 sixes to his name. Taskin bowled it full and around off slower ball. Noor cleared his front leg and muscled it straight down the ground. He mistimed it from the toe end of the bat. The fielder at long-off settled underneath it and took a simple catch. Farooqi remained unbeaten on 2 off 3 balls as Afghanistan were bowled out for 146 in 20 overs losing by 8 runs. 3 extras given by Bangladesh.
All the bowlers bowled well for Bangladesh. Nasum Ahmed kicked things off with 2/11 in 4 overs. Mustafizur Rahman finished with 3/28 in 4 overs. Taskin Ahmed finished with 2/34 in 4 overs. Rishad Hossain finished with 2/18 in 4 overs. Saif Hassan went for 39 in 3 overs while Shamim Hossain went for 16 runs in 1 over. So, Bangladesh won by 8 runs and for his outstanding bowling up top, Nasum Ahmed was awarded the Player of the Match award.
What Lies Ahead
The bandwagon moves to Dubai again for a Group A clash as Pakistan takes on UAE at 8 PM IST on 17th September 2025. This will be a do-or-die game for both teams as Super 4 spot is up for grabs. Pakistan will be favourites but count UAE out in your own peril.
Let’s see how things unfold in Match 10 in Dubai in a Group A clash.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Tanzid Hasan’s Breath-Taking 52 Propels Bangladesh To 154/5