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Bangladesh Collapse in Chase as Allah Ghazanfar’s Six-Wicket Haul Propels Afghanistan to Victory
In a major blow to Bangladesh’s preparations for the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan, they suffered a staggering collapse, succumbing to Afghanistan by 92 runs in the first ODI of the series. Afghanistan’s 18-year-old spinner, Allah Ghazanfar, was the standout performer, taking a remarkable six wickets as Bangladesh crumbled from 120 for 2 to a mere 143 all-out, unraveling in just 8.4 overs.
Strong Start by Bangladesh Undone by Ghazanfar’s Mastery
Despite an early setback when Ghazanfar dismissed opener Tanzid Hasan in the fourth over, Bangladesh initially looked strong. Soumya Sarkar and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto pushed the scoring rate, adding a vital 53-run stand to put Bangladesh in a favorable position. However, Afghanistan’s medium-pacer Azmatullah Omarzai managed to break this partnership, removing Sarkar and paving the way for a new partnership between Najmul and No.4 batter Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The duo’s resilience took Bangladesh past the halfway point of the chase, reducing the required run rate.
However, the momentum shifted when Mohammad Nabi executed a clever field setup in the 26th over, resulting in Najmul’s dismissal. Attempting a sweep shot against the turn, Najmul top-edged the ball and was caught at short fine leg by Shahidi after a brief juggle. This breakthrough opened the door for Afghanistan as Ghazanfar returned with devastating impact in the 31st over.
Ghazanfar’s Game-Changing Spell Dismantles Bangladesh
Ghazanfar unleashed a masterclass in spin bowling, starting with the wicket of Mehidy. His following over was a triple-wicket blitz: he had Mushfiqur Rahim stumped with a well-executed carrom ball, trapped Rishad Hossain lbw, and cleaned up Taskin Ahmed with another carrom delivery, completing his five-wicket haul and leaving Bangladesh reeling at 138 for 8. Adding to the pressure, Rashid Khan delivered a well-disguised googly that dismissed Mahmudullah, while Towhid Hridoy missed a slog sweep and fell to another Rashid googly. Ghazanfar capped off his exceptional performance with his sixth wicket, bowling Shoriful Islam with yet another deceptive carrom ball, sealing Afghanistan’s dominant victory.
Bangladesh’s Bowlers Shine Early but Batters Falter
Earlier, Bangladesh’s bowling unit had put the team in a strong position. Taskin Ahmed (4 for 53) and Mustafizur Rahman (4 for 58) made quick inroads, reducing Afghanistan to 71 for 5 within 20 overs. But Afghanistan’s captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi fought back, stabilizing their innings with a 104-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Shahidi contributed a patient 52 off 92 balls before falling to Mustafizur, while Nabi continued to anchor the innings, scoring a brilliant 84 off 79 balls, featuring four boundaries and three sixes.
Nabi’s efforts, coupled with a gritty 27 from Nangeyalia Kharote, helped Afghanistan reach a total of 235, which proved challenging for Bangladesh to chase. Taskin’s late wickets limited further damage, but the target ultimately proved more than adequate as Afghanistan clinched a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Brief Scores: Afghanistan 234 in 50 overs (Mohammad Nabi 84, Hashmatullah Shahidi 52; Taskin Ahmed 4-53, Mustafizur Rahman 4-58) beat Bangladesh 143 in 34.3 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 47; Allah Ghazanfar 6-26) by 92 runs.
