Pacers Naveen Ul Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed the top three batsmen as Bangladesh reached 31/3 in 3.3 overs.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s bowlers held Afghanistan to 115/5. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain spearheaded the Bangladeshi bowling attack with impressive figures of three for 26. The Afghan top order struggled to gain momentum, unable to effectively counter Bangladesh’s varied bowling strategies after opting to bat first.
Despite a promising opening partnership of 59 runs in 10.4 overs, Afghanistan’s progress stalled. Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored with 43 runs off 55 balls, reflecting the team’s difficulty in accelerating the scoring rate.
Afghanistan vs Bangladesh: Key Performances and Strategic Plays
Seamer Taskin Ahmed, one of two changes in the Bangladeshi lineup following their heavy defeat to India, delivered an economical four-over spell. He conceded just 12 runs and took the crucial wicket of former Afghan captain Mohammad Nabi.Captain Rashid Khan provided a late surge for Afghanistan, remaining unbeaten on 19 and hitting three sixes in the final two overs. His efforts helped push the total past the 100-run mark, as the rest of the batting lineup faltered.
Implications for Semi-Final Qualification
A massive victory for Bangladesh in this match could have helped the team to qualify to the semi-finals alongside India, despite losing their first two Super Eight matches. Meanwhile, Australia’s hopes hinge on Bangladesh securing a narrow win, which would allow Australia to advance based on net run rate.