Daily Times

ABU DHABI: Mustafizur Rahman defended seven runs off the last over against Afghanistan as Bangladesh won by three runs in the Asia Cup here Sunday night to set up a virtual knockout clash against Pakistan on Wednesday. As impressive as Afghanistan had been in the Asia Cup, they are out of the tournament having failed in their first chase, which was their second straight loss in the Super-Four. After conceding two off the first ball in the last over, Mustafizur had Rashid Khan caught and bowled before big-hitters Samiullah Shenwari and Gulbadin Naib could muster only two leg-byes in the remaining four balls. The key perhaps was Mohammad Nabi’s dismissal in the penultimate over, as he had already struck two fours and two sixes in his 28-ball 38. Hashmatullah Shahidi too played a steady hand, reaching a fifty for the third game in a row.

Mahmudullah-Kayes rescue act lifts Bangladesh to 249: Earlier, Mahmudullah and Imrul Kayes struck fifties to give Bangladesh a competitive 249-run total to defend, after they had slipped to 87 for 5 at one stage. Their 128-run stand was a Bangladesh record for the sixth wicket, despite Kayes – one of two reinforcements who flew in to Dubai on Friday evening – batting at No. 6 for the first time in his international career. Mahmudullah made 74 off 81 with three fours and two sixes while Kayes struck six fours in his unbeaten 72. Afghanistan were given a stiff target for their first chase of the tournament, although the Bangladesh total could have been lower had they been as disciplined through the end of the innings as they had been at the start.

Published in Daily Times, September 24^th 2018.