Sabbir Hossain :
A record-breaking, wonderful and unbroken seven-wicket 174-run partnership by Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz powered Bangladesh Cricket team to snatch a four-wicket victory over Afghanistan Cricket team in the first One Day International (ODI) match at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Wednesday.
Chasing Afghanistan’s total of 215 for the loss of nine wickets in the 20 overs, Bangladesh sailed home making 219 for the loss of six wickets when they had seven balls to spare.
Afif Hossain remained unbeaten with 93 runs. He hit 11 fours and a sixer in his 115-ball innings. Mehidy Hasan Miraz remained unbeaten with 81 runs. His 120-ball innings was ornamented with nine fours. Miraz was adjudged the Man of the Match.
Earlier,Bangladesh faced a disaster as they lost six wickets for 45 runs.
Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed Liton Das for one Tamim Iqbal for eight, Mushfiqur Rahim for three and Yasir Ali for a duck.
Then, Mujeeb Ur Rahman picked up Shakib Al Hasan for 10 runs and Rashid Khan removed Mahmudullah Riyad for eight runs.
After losing early six wickets for 45 runs, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Afif Hossain played a heroic innings to earn the unprecedented victory.
Fazalhaq Farooqi captured four wickets at the cost of 54 runs, while Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman took one wicket each conceding 30 and 32 runs respectively.
Afghanistan had a poor start as opener Rahmatullah Gurbaz (7) was caught at the mid-on by Tamim Iqbal off Mustafizur Rahman when Afghanistan’s total was 11.
After Gurbaz’s dismissal, opener Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah repaired the damage contributing together 45 runs for the second wicket partnership before Ibrahim Zadran (19) was caught at the slip by debutante Yasir Shah off Shoriful Islam when Afghanistan’s score was 56 for the loss of two wickets.
After Ibrahim Zadran’s departure, Rahmat Shah was caught behind by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim off Taskin Ahmed when the tourists’ total was 79 for the loss of three wickets.
After Rahmatshah’s dismissal, Hashmatullah Shahidi (28) was caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim off Taskin Ahmed when Afghanistan’s score was 102 for the loss of four wickets.
After Shahidi’s departure, Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi built a notable partnership. They put on together 63 runs in the fifth wicket stand before Mohammad Nabi (20) was caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim off Taskin Ahmed when the visitors’ total was 165 for the loss of five wickets.
After Mohammad Nabi’s dismissal, Najibullah Zadran and Gulbadin Naib scored together 29 runs for the sixth wicket partnership before Gulbadin Naib (17) was trapped leg before wicket by Shakib Al Hasan the tourists’ score was 194 for the loss of six wickets.
Sixth-down Rashid Khan (0) was bowled out by Shakib Al Hasan when Afghanistan’s total was 194 for the loss of seven wickets.
After Rashid Khan’s removal, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (0) was caught at the cover by substitute Najmul Hossain Shanto off Mustafizur Rahman when the touring side’s score was 195 for the loss of eight wickets.
Then, Najibullah Zadran was caught at the long-on by Mahmudullah Riyad off Shoriful Islam when Afghanistan’s total was 214 for the loss of nine wickets.
Najibullah Zadran top-scored with 67 runs. He hit four fours and two sixes in his 84-ball innings.
Number-10 batter Yamin Ahmadzai (5) was caught at the cover by Mahmudullah Riyad off Mustafizur Rahman when Afghanistan’s innings came to an end.
Mustafizur Rahman grabbed three wickets in the space of 35 runs, while Shoriful Islam, Shakib Al Hasan and Taskin Ahmed bagged two wickets each instead of 38, 50 and 55 runs respectively.
Besides, Mahmudullah Riyad took one wicket for four runs.
