Post by : Rameen Ariff

Bangladesh claimed a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah, despite a late fightback from Rashid Khan. The Afghan spinner nearly turned the game in his team's favor with a brilliant four-wicket spell, but timely contributions from Nurul Hasan and Rishad Hossain helped Bangladesh cross the finish line.

Chasing a target of 152, Bangladesh started cautiously, scoring only 14 runs in the first three overs. Openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon then accelerated the innings. Emon hit Mohammad Nabi for two massive sixes and received a couple of lucky reprieves in the same over, helping Bangladesh reach 50 runs in the powerplay.

After the powerplay, Tanzid Hasan dominated the bowling, striking sixes off Nabi and Noor Ahmad, while both openers continued to clear the ropes. Bangladesh reached 95 without loss at the halfway stage, with the openers completing their fifties and putting together a commanding century partnership. Fareed Ahmad finally gave Afghanistan a breakthrough, dismissing a set batsman.

Rashid Khan then made a dramatic impact, removing Saif Hassan and Tanzid Hasan in the same over, followed by two more wickets in his final over. Afghanistan’s bowlers continued to apply pressure as Noor Ahmad took another wicket, reducing Bangladesh from 109/0 to 118/6. With six wickets down, victory seemed uncertain, but Rishad Hossain and Nurul Hasan steadied the innings. Their timely boundaries reduced the required runs, and Nurul’s back-to-back sixes secured a win for Bangladesh.

Earlier, Afghanistan struggled during their innings despite Ibrahim Zadran’s explosive start, hitting three boundaries in the opening over. Afghanistan lost both openers quickly, and Darwish Rasooli was run out, leaving them at 33/3 by the end of the powerplay. Rahmanullah Gurbaz looked promising, but Bangladesh continued to take regular wickets.

Gurbaz’s dismissal for 40, with only a few overs left, left Afghanistan with four wickets in hand. The final overs saw a late surge, with Nabi hitting three sixes in the 18th over and Sharafuddin Ashraf contributing a small cameo to push Afghanistan past 150. Despite the late push, Bangladesh’s batting depth and calm under pressure ensured they took the first match in an unforgettable contest.

This match highlighted Bangladesh’s resilience and ability to handle pressure, while also showing the impact of Rashid Khan’s brilliant bowling, even when his team came close but fell short

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