Afghanistan Players Celebrate Series Victory Over Bangladesh | Afghanistan Cricket Board (UAEX)
Bangladesh Lose Third ODI, Concede Series to Afghanistan
Bangladesh suffered a five-wicket defeat to Afghanistan in the series-deciding third One Day International (ODI) at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE on Monday, conceding the three-match series.
Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a brilliant knock, scoring a scintillating century, while Azamatullah Omarzai delivered an exceptional all-round performance to steer Afghanistan to victory. This win marked Afghanistan's second consecutive bilateral series triumph over Bangladesh, following their series win in Chattogram last year.
Gurbaz, who reached his eighth ODI century in just 46 matches, became the third-fastest to achieve this milestone. South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Pakistan’s Babar Azam were quicker, with Amla doing it in 43 matches and Babar in 44. Gurbaz's 101 runs came off 120 balls, including five fours and seven sixes, before he was dismissed.
Omarzai, who had a match-changing impact, took 4-37 with the ball and then scored an unbeaten 70 off 77 balls, hitting three fours and five sixes, sealing the win with a final six.
For Bangladesh, Mahmudullah Riyad played a valiant knock of 98 off 98 balls to recover from a lean patch, while captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, in his 100th ODI, contributed 66 runs to help Bangladesh post 244/8.
However, Gurbaz and Omarzai’s blistering partnership ensured Afghanistan reached the target of 246/5 with 10 balls to spare, securing the series win.
While batting first usually provides an advantage at this ground, Gurbaz's steady leadership and match-winning performance guided Afghanistan through, despite a lackluster showing from the Afghan top order in the earlier overs.
Debutant Nahid Rana Impresses as Bangladesh Fall Short in Series-Deciding ODI
Pacer Nahid Rana, making his ODI debut, delivered a strong performance, claiming the wicket of Afghanistan's opener Sediqullah Atal (14) early on. Mustafizur Rahman then added two quick wickets, removing Rahman Shah (8) and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (6), leaving Afghanistan at 84-3.
However, a crucial 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Azamatullah Omarzai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz steadied Afghanistan's chase, before Gurbaz reached his century. Just after that, Mehidy Hasan Miraz broke the stand.
Rana finished with figures of 2-40 from his 10 overs, adding the wicket of Gulbadin Naib (1). Despite his efforts, a 58-run unbeaten stand between Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi led Afghanistan to victory. Nabi finished not out on 34 from 27 balls, including five fours.
On the Bangladesh side, Mahmudullah Riyad was dismissed for 98, falling just short of a well-deserved century after a string of low scores (0, 1, 2, 3) in his previous four innings.
Miraz, making his captaincy debut in his 100th ODI, became the fifth Bangladesh batter to score a half-century on debut as captain, and the third from the country to achieve this milestone in his 100th match.
In the bowling department, a mini-collapse sparked by the Afghan pacers ultimately denied Bangladesh the chance to reach the 250-run mark. Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Soumya Sarkar had once again made a solid start but, like previous games, both fell after getting set at the crease.
Mahmudullah scored 98, narrowly missing out on his fifth century, which would have been a significant milestone. Meanwhile, Mehidy Hasan Miraz became the fifth Bangladesh batter to score a half-century on his captaincy debut and the third to achieve the feat in his 100th ODI. | ACB
Bangladesh Fight Back But Fall Short as Afghanistan Clinch Victory
Bangladesh made a solid start, putting on 53 runs for the opening wicket in 8.3 overs before Azamatullah Omarzai rattled the stumps of Soumya Sarkar, who was dismissed for 24 off 23 balls.
Mohammad Nabi then had Tanzid Hasan caught by Hashmatullah Shahidi at cover point for 19, and Zakir Hasan, playing his first ODI in a year, was run out, leaving Bangladesh at a precarious 58-3.
Leg-spinner Rashid Khan continued the pressure, dismissing Towhid Hridoy for just 7 with a well-flighted googly, leaving Bangladesh struggling at 72-4.
However, a strong partnership between Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mahmudullah Riyad revived Bangladesh's innings. While Mahmudullah counterattacked, Miraz focused on playing a patient, watchful knock.
Mahmudullah brought up his 29th ODI fifty off 63 balls, driving left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote for a single to long-off. Meanwhile, Miraz took 106 balls to reach his fifty, driving Mohammad Nabi to long-on for a single.
The two batters accelerated after reaching their fifties, with Mahmudullah in particular playing an attacking role, hitting Nabi for a couple of sixes.
But the partnership was finally broken when Omarzai outfoxed Miraz with a slower ball, ending their 145-run stand. Miraz's knock of 119 balls included just four boundaries.
Omarzai then dismissed Jaker Ali Anik and Nasum Ahmed in quick succession to halt Bangladesh's progress further.
Mahmudullah continued to battle, but the lack of boundaries in the death overs prevented him from reaching his century. In the final moments of the game, he was run out while attempting a second run. His run-a-ball innings was decorated with seven fours and three sixes, but his departure left Bangladesh falling short of a competitive total.
0 comments:
Post a Comment