Afghanistan notched up their first major win against a Test playing nation as they produced an all-round performance to script an upset 32-run victory over Bangladesh in their Asia Cup match, here on Saturday.
Chasing 255 for victory, Bangladesh could not recover from a top-order collapse and kept on losing wickets at regular intervals to be bundled out for 222 in 47.5 overs at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium to slump to their second consecutive loss in the five-nation regional tournament.
Barring Mominul Haque (50), Nasir Hossain (41) and Ziaur Rahman (41), none of their batsmen showed enough patience to stay at the crease and grind it out. Rahman tried to change the course of the game with a few lusty blows towards the end but his efforts could not stop Afghanistan from creating a cricketing history. Afghanistan’s inexperience at the international level was on full display when their butterfingered fielders dropped as many as four catches and gave away few easy runs.
But the gutsy team from the strife-torn nation held its nerve to pull off a dramatic victory over Bangladesh, kicking off jubilant celebrations in their camp. This was after rearguard half-centuries from Asghar Stanikzai (90 not out) and Samiullah Shenwari (81) took the visitors to 254 for 6 after being put in to bat.
Afghanistan were once in trouble at 90/5, but Stanikzai and Shenwari got together and added 164 from 138 balls for the sixth-wicket partnership to take Afghanistan past 250.
Brief Scores
Afghanistan: 254 for 6 in 50 overs (Asghar Stanikzai 90 not out, Samiullah Shenwari 81; Arafat Sunny 2/44) beat Bangladesh: 222 all out in 47.5 overs (Mominul Haque 50; Mohammad Nabi 3/44) by 32 runs.