Bangladesh suffer crushing 7-wicket defeat as Afghanistan avert ODI series sweep

A scintillating unbeaten century from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and some classy spin bowling helped Afghanistan to avoid a series sweep by handing Bangladesh a clinical seven-wicket defeat in the last ODI in Chattogram.

With the exception of a fighting knock by Litton Das (86), the home side came up with a subpar show in all departments of the game at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Monday.

However, the Afghans held on to every opportunity they received and earned valuable ICC Super League points, having ended the three-match series 1-2.

Choosing to bat first, Bangladesh were skittled for a paltry 192. It took the Afghans two good partnerships to wrap up the game.

Gurbaz (106), along with his opening partner Riaz Hassan (35), set the tone of the chase with a 79-run stand.

Riaz was looking good until Mushfiqur Rahim whipped off the bails in a second attempt in the 16th over off Shakib Al Hasan (1-47).

However, Gurbaz blazed on and added 100 more for the second wicket with Rahmat Shah (47). Mehidy Hasan Miraz (2-37) eventually earned Shah’s scalp with an arm ball, but it was too late by then.

Gurbaz reached his third century in the 39th over, becoming the fifth batter to convert his first three 50-plus scores to centuries joint on third with England’s Dennis Amiss and Pakistan’s Kamran Akmal. Proteas batsman Quinton de Kock leads the group converting his first five fifties to tons, while Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq hit four in four.

Benefiting from two reprieves - on 13 and 61 - Gurbaz laced his 110-ball innings with six maximums and seven boundaries before completing the chase in the 41st over.

Bangladesh stuck to the same playing eleven for only the fourth time in their ODI history for a whole series of three or more matches.

They slipped from 121 for two to 192 all out thanks to some sharp bowling from Rashid Khan (3-37) and Mohammad Nabi (2-29). Three run-outs also compounded Bangladesh’s woes.

Rashid became the second fastest bowler to reach 150 ODI wickets after Pakistan legend Saqlain Mushtaq.

Litton’s well-rounded knock contained seven boundaries, but he kept losing partners at the other end.

Tamim Iqbal’s (11) problems against seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi (1-33) continued and it was the first time he was taken out by the same bowler three times in a series.

Litton and Shakib (30) added 61 for the second wicket before the southpaw chopped on Azmatullah Omarzai (1-29). It triggered a gradual collapse, led by the spinners, as Bangladesh lost four wickets in 10 over to teeter on 160 for six.

Rashid sent Mushfiqur (7) and Yasir Ali (1) packing in successive overs and the latter became the fourth Bangladeshi batsman to score just one run in his maiden series after Harunur Rashid in 1988, Moniruzzaman in 2003 and Fazle Mahmud in 2018.

Nabi then ran through the batting order with his brace which included crucial wickets of Litton and Afif Hossain (5). Miraz (6) soon followed them back to the hutch after running himself out.

After Rashid added the scalp of Taskin Ahmed (0) to his hunt, Shoriful Islam (7) and Mustafizur Rahman (1) ran themselves out.