Watch cricket video highlights of Bangladesh and Afghanistan tour of UAE 2024. First ODI between Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Venue of the match will be Sharjah.
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Substitute wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil dropped Najmul Hossain Shanto on 21, Mohammad Nabi put Mehidy Hasan Miraz down on one, Gulbadin Naib let the ball slide between his hands with Mehidy on four, and Afghanistan had burned both reviews. All of this occurred from the 12th to the 25th. At the midway point, Bangladesh were 118 runs short of their target of 236 and had eight wickets in hand. But what followed was anarchy, as AM Ghazanfar punched one departure ticket after another for Bangladesh batters.
Bangladesh went from 120 for 2 four balls into the 26th over to 8 for 23 midway through the 35th, throwing it away and losing by 92 runs. Ghazanfar concluded with a career-best 6 for 26, while Rashid Khan took two wickets as Afghanistan’s spinners dominated Bangladesh. However, Mohammad Nabi started the decline. In a brilliant field shift, he left square leg vacant while adding a second slip for Shanto. Bangladesh’s skipper was lured early, sweeping at a length ball that was just wide outside off.
He stretched out to paddle sweep, and the top edge popped up for Hashmatullah Shahidi at short fine leg, where he made the catch on his fourth try. Shanto perished for 47, ending his 55-run third-wicket partnership with Mehidy. That wicket delayed Bangladesh’s progress, and five overs later, in the 31st, Mehidy was caught superbly by Azmatullah Omarzai, who was stationed at short fine leg but sprinted over to his left before diving to finish the catch. That was Ghazanfar’s second wicket (he had previously bowled Tanzid Hasan in the fourth over), and it virtually turned on a switch in him.
In the 33rd over, he got Mushfiqur Rahim stumped, Rishad Hossain LBW, and Taskin Ahmed bowled, all off carrom balls. Rashid’s googly had already cleaned Mahmudullah up. By this point, the only question was whether Ghazanfar would complete his hat-trick when Rishad and Tasking delivered consecutive deliveries to conclude the over. Bangladesh had two wickets left, and Rashid cleaned up Towhid Hridoy with another googly. Ghazanfar failed to complete the hat-trick at the start of the 35th over, but two balls later, Shoriful Islam bowled to seal a thrilling victory.
However, Afghanistan’s triumph was secured by two contrasting innings when they were 71 for 5 in 20 overs. While Shahidi scored 52 off 92 balls, Nabi hit 84 off 79 deliveries. Their 104-run combination provided Afghanistan with a foundation to build on after Mustafizur Rahman struck three runs and Taskin twice when they came together at the crease. While Shahidi was content to be patient and go through the singles, Nabi began with a far greater aim. He hit his sixth ball, off Rishad, for a tremendous six over deep midwicket, a drive he duplicated off the same bowler in the 27th over.
In the meanwhile, Bangladesh lost a review after Rishad and Mushfiqur believed Shahidi had edged behind, only for replays to reveal a significant space between bat and ball. The fifty-run stand between Shahidi and Nabi occurred in the 30th over, and Nabi had a lot of luck. First, on 37 in the 34th over, he tried sweeping at Rishad but was struck on his front pad, with neither the umpire nor Bangladesh deciding to review. Nabi completed his half-century before Shahidi in the 37th over, his 17th in ODIs, by cutting Rishad past point for two.
Nabi went slogging shortly afterward, but the ball dropped just short of the player at long-off, who was sprinting forward. The next over, Nabi jabbed at a Mahmudullah ball and caught an outside edge, but there was no slip. Shahidi, however, needed 87 deliveries to reach fifty, happy to settle for singles or twos. Shahidi escaped a close run-out attempt at the start of the 40th over, when he pushed the ball to point and the two batters went for a run. However, Shahidi, who was halfway down, was pushed back by Nabi and just made it as Mushfiqur ripped the bails off.
However, he cut out Mustafizur in the 41st over as Bangladesh checked Afghanistan. Rashid quickly smacked one to midwicket off Shoriful, but Nabi remained unfazed. He pushed Afghanistan to 200 with four overs left and smashed Mustafizur for six – midwicket in the 47th over. Nangeyalia Kharote, who entered after Rashid was caught, produced a crucial undefeated 27 in the death overs, including two fours and a six, despite Taskin striking twice in the 48th over.
Both Taskin and Mustafizur ended with four wickets, limiting Afghanistan to 235 when, with Nabi and Shahidi at the crease, a higher total appeared inevitable. However, in the end, Ghazanfar turned the ball one way or another, ensuring Afghanistan’s easy victory.
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Afghanistan will host Bangladesh in three One-Day Internationals this week in Sharjah. This marks the beginning of both teams’ preparations for the Champions Trophy, which will take place early next year. And here are some of the things we’ll be looking out for. The two teams’ recent performances differ significantly. Afghanistan enters this series off the heels of their maiden bilateral ODI series triumph over South Africa. That happened in September, in Sharjah, one of their unofficial home grounds.
Bangladesh is severely lacking in confidence following its recent home defeats to South Africa in both Tests – in Dhaka and Chattogram – which were convincing. While Afghanistan is acquainted with Sharjah, Bangladesh will play ODIs there for the first time in 29 years, since the 1995 Asia Cup. They’ve also played three T20Is at the stadium, the last of which was a seven-wicket loss to Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup. Afghanistan have replaced the injured Ibrahim Zadran (ankle) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (hand) with opening batsman Sediqullah Atal and left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad.
Atal drew a lot of attention at the recent Asia Cup for rising teams, as he scored three rapid fifties to finish as the top scorer. Bilal Sami, a 20-year-old uncapped fast bowler, used the short ball efficiently against Sri Lanka A in a recent competition for rising teams. There are some recognized faces to be careful of. Noor recently got 22 wickets in the CPL, finishing as Player of the Tournament. There is star fast Fazalhaq Farooqi, who smashed them in the previous bilateral ODI series between the two countries last year, taking eight wickets in three games.
Bangladesh would also benefit from watching as much film as possible of 18-year-old offspinner AM Ghazanfar, who took several wickets against South Africa and performed admirably in the developing competition. Form, availability, and fitness concerns have led Bangladesh to make significant changes to the ODI team that played in March, the last time they played the format. Shakib Al Hasan has allegedly withdrawn from the Afghanistan series, while Litton Das is suffering from a fever and Tanzim Hasan has a shoulder issue.
Nahid Rana is one of the players that will receive a look-in, alongside Zakir Hasan and Nasum Ahmed. With Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and Shoriful Islam all present, it appears to be a solid fast-bowling assault. However, Nasum and Nahid are still waiting for their UAE visas and will be unable to attend the first ODI. Rana was quickly promoted to the national squad and made an immediate impact when he played a key part in Bangladesh’s Test series triumph against Pakistan in August.
There haven’t been many of them throughout the years: a real Bangladeshi fast bowler. Sharjah may not be the finest site to bowl quickly, but Rana will be one to watch, especially in a new format. While Afghanistan’s preparations for the ODI series have been uncomplicated, Bangladesh’s scenario is significantly different. Najmul Hossain Shanto is captain, but there is still no clarification on his future after informing the BCB that the Test series against South Africa would be his final as captain. There has also been a lot of misunderstanding about the coach.
Chandika Hathurusinghe was banned and then fired in a matter of days, with Phil Simmons joining the squad in between. Around the same time, the debacle surrounding Shakib’s Test retirement was unfolding, with the champion allrounder unable to go to Bangladesh for the South Africa series due to security fears. Bangladesh struggled to put it all behind them, as seen by the South Africa series, but they must go forward. The sooner, the better. Ideally, start with this series.
