Bangladesh kicked off their World Twenty20 campaign in with the biggest win in the format, comfortably beating Afghanistan by nine wickets with eight overs in hand in the Group A qualifier on Sunday.
Published : 16 Mar 2014, 02:50 PM
Put into bat first by Mushfiqur Rahim, the tournament debutants were skittled out for 72 in 17.1 overs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium thanks to incisive bowling and fielding by the hosts.
The Tigers cantered to the target to take a big step towards the main draw of the tournament and record their first international victory this year.
Afghanistan’s tournament could not have started in worse fashion as Mohammad Shahzad was dismissed with the opening ball of the match.
Gulbadin Naib top-scored with 21 but his wicket was the first of three to fall with the score on 36 and they lost their final four wickets for three runs.
Afghanistan's top two run-getters in T20 Internationals - Mohammad Shehzad (589), Nawroz Mangal (283) - could face only one ball each.
Mashrafe Mortaza struck for Bangladesh early to set the tone for the hosts when he sent back Shahzad in the first ball of the day.
Najeeb Tarakai and Naib put on 36 runs for the second wicket to give a glimpse of recovery.
But Shakib Al Hasan had other plans. He had Naib, dropped in the first ball of his first over by Sabbir Rahman, caught, with Rahman making amends by taking a running catch in deep midwicket in the next ball
Tarakai was caught at midwicket by Nasir Hossain in the subsequent ball. Moments later, Nawroz Mangal headed towards the dugout, run out to a sharp throw from Sabbir. The Afghans had lost three wickets without adding any run to their total.
When skipper Mohammad Nabi walked back, dismissed by Abdur Razzak, Afghanistan were reeling at 49 for five in 9.3 overs.
Karim Sadiq (10) and Shafiqullah (16) were the two, along with Naib, reach double figures for the debutants.
Samiullah Senwari (1), Dawlat Zadran(1), Shapoor Zadran (10) and Aftab Alam (0*) could not do much to take the underdogs past the 100 mark.
Shakib bagged his third when he went through Shapoor's gates to halt the Afghan innings on 72 runs. He ended with brilliant figures of 3-8 in 3.1 overs.
Razzak picked up two wickets. Mashrafe, Farhad Reza and Mahmudullah picked up a wicket each for the hosts.
Afghanistan's innings ended in 17.1 overs. They smashed only six boundaries and a six in their innings.
In reply, Bangladesh breezed through thanks to a 45-run opening partnership between Anamul Haque and Tamim Iqbal.
Tamim was trapped lbw for 21 in the eighth over by Shenwari with Bangladesh needing only 28 runs. The opener was dropped on 7 when wicket-keeper Mohammad Shahzad fluffed a sharp edge off Karim Sadiq.
Anamul finished unbeaten on 44, giving the home fans plenty to cheer with three sixes including a maximum off Shenwari to seal the triumph.
Shakib (10), adjudged man of the match, also remained unbeaten.
Although Afghanistan bowlers practically posed no threat to the hosts' batsmen, Dawlat Zadran triggered an unpleasant scene when he threw the ball directly back at Tamim, who was still in his crease and struck him on the pads. The incident turned worse when Shakib confronted him.
The win in the global showpiece event broke Bangladesh's 10-match losing streak in World T20s since 2007, and was their second win in this competition.
Strikingly, this was their first international win since November 3 against New Zealand at home.
The hosts take on Nepal in their second group match on Tuesday. Afghanistan will face Hong Kong on the same day.