Tanzid Hasan looked like a man possessed as he took the attack to the opposition from the get go. He looked like a determined player as Bangladesh came out with a different approach after opting to bat first. Saif Hassan played his part, but Tanzid Hasan‘s half-century alongside handy contributions from other batters took Bangladesh to 154/5 in 20 overs.
Afghanistan pulled things back towards the end through Noor Ahmad and captain Rashid Khan as the duo picked up 4 wickets between them to put the breaks on the scoring. Afghanistan are in the game, but have to bat extremely well on a slow pitch to win the contest from here.
Tanzid Hasan & Saif Hassan Give Bangladesh A Rollicking Start In Powerplay
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Saif Hassan and Tanzid Hasan came out to open the batting for Bangladesh while Fazalhaq Farooqi had ball in hand for Afghanistan. Farooqi bowled a decent first over as Omarzai dropped a tough chance at extra covers. Azmatullah Omarzai had the ball in hand from the other end. Saif hit him away for a boundary behind square in the leg side.
Farooqi continued as Tanzid took the attack to him by hitting him for a boundary between the keeper and the slip fielder. Tanzid got another streaky boundary past Naib at the slip cordon. Tanzid survived a close LBW call as the ball tracking showed Umpire’s call on hitting the stumps. This did not phase Tanzid as he hit Farooqi for back-to-back boundaries to end the third over.
Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar came into the attack next. Saif joined in the fun as he launched it straight back over the bowler’s head for the maximum. Omarzai changed ends as Saif hit him for a boundary past midwicket as the ball went away to the fence at deep square leg region. Ghazanfar came to bowl the final over of powerplay. Tanzid smashed him by slog sweeping over midwicket region for the maximum. The 50 came up and of the partnership in 5.4 overs.
Tanzid was not done yet as he smashed Ghazanfar over square leg fence by sweeping it for the maximum to end the over and powerplay. At the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh were well-placed at 59/0 and off to a dream start in this must-win game.
Afghanistan peg things back with 3 wickets as Tanzid Hasan falls after scoring fifty
Captain Rashid Khan brought himself into the attack post the powerplay. He knocked over Saif Hassan 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 hit the off-stump. Captain Litton Das came out to the crease next. He got off the mark soon.
Mohammad Nabi came into the attack next. Nabi bowled a decent first over. Rashid continued and bowled a decent over. Tanzid broke the shackles a little bit as he launched Nabi by pulling him over deep square leg for the maximum. At the end of 10 overs at the halfway stage of the innings, Bangladesh were 87/1 as players took the Drinks Break.
Noor Ahmad came into the attack post the powerplay. Noor struck straightaway getting rid of the Bangladesh captain Litton Das for 9 off 11 balls. The decision was initially given NOT OUT by the umpire. Noor tossed it up delivery 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. Where did the ball pitch was the question? Replays showed that the ball pitched in line and three reds meant Litton had to depart as the review was lost. Towhid Hridoy came to the crease and got off the mark straightaway.
Noor started his spell really well. Ghazanfar returned to the bowling crease as Tanzid reached his half-century in 28 balls. Hridoy then took on Noor and nailed the slog sweep between deep midwicket and deep square leg for the maximum flat and hard. Noor got his revenge as he dismissed 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 a googly it was for Noor. Tanzid made room for himself and looked to play the inside out shot and lofted it from the inner half of the bat. Ibrahim at long-off settled underneath it to take the catch. Shamim Hossain came out to bat next.
Shamim then hit Rashid for a boundary past Farooqi at backward point for a boundary. Shamim again hit the talismanic spinner for a boundary by sweeping along the group to hit the gap between deep backward square leg and deep midwicket for a boundary. Noor came in to bowl the 15th over. Hridoy hit him for a boundary as he cut the bowler past the right of backward point. Omarzai in the deep ran across but failed to prevent the boundary. Omarzai fumed at himself. At the end of 15 overs, Bangladesh are well-placed at 119/3 and looking good to get to a big score against Afghanistan to put further pressure on them with Hridoy and Shamim Hossain at the crease.
Afghanistan pull things back a bit to keep Bangladesh down to 154/5 in 20 overs
Rashid Khan continued and dismissed Shamim Hossain for 11 off 11 balls with 2 fours to his name. Rashid tossed it up full around the off-stump a leggie from Rashid. The ball pitched and turned back in a shade. Shamim looked to flick it away on the leg side and was beaten on the inside edge as he wore it low on the front pad. Shamim reviewed in hope and saw three reds to waste a review. Jaker Ali came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Noor continued as Jaker hammered him through deep midwicket and long-on for a boundary. Hridoy survived a LBW appeal as he got a glove to it before hitting the pads. Farooqi returned and gave away 9 runs through twos to end the 18th over. Omarzai returned to the attack and got rid of Towhid Hridoy for 26 off 20 balls with one four and a maximum to his name.
Omarzai from over the wicket bowled full and wide outside off-stump with pace on the ball. Hridoy went back and across and drove it powerfully on the off-side. He failed to keep it down as he hit flat and hard straight to Karim Janat at deep extra cover who didn’t have to move an inch as he took the catch. Nurul Hasan came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary over mid-off.
Farooqi came to bowl the final over of the innings as Nurul hit him for a boundary over short fine leg via a ramp shot. Nurul Hasan hurt himself and took an injury time out on his right ankle as he was hurt. In the end, Bangladesh ended with 154/5 in 20 overs. Jaker was unbeaten on 12 off 13 balls with a boundary to his name while Nurul chipped in with 12* off 6 balls with 2 fours to his name. Just 2 extras given by Afghanistan.
Afghanistan came back well with the ball with Noor Ahmad the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/23 in 4 overs. Rashid Khan bowled well for his 2/26 in 4 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai finished with 1/19 in 3 overs. Fazalhaq Farooqi gave away 37 runs in 4 overs. Allah Ghazanfar gave away 32 runs in 3 overs. Mohammad Nabi gave away 17 runs in 2 overs. It meant Afghanistan needed 155 to win off 20 overs to win this game and qualify for Super 4s.
What Lies Ahead
Bangladesh have got a competitive score on the board with 154/5 in 20 overs. They could have gotten more, but Afghanistan pulled things back nicely. But the Afghans will have to bat really well to chase this down. This game can go either ways from here. The start will be crucial for both teams. Stay tuned for the chase soon as anything can happen from here.
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