Afghanistan Vs Bangladesh Highlights, 1st T20I: BAN Deny AFG Famous Comeback, Win By 4 Wickets

Good evening and welcome to everyone joining us for some more T20 action. Afghanistan are seeking revenge against Bangladesh after losing to the sub-continental side in the Asia Cup, and we will bring to you the build-up, toss, playing XIs and match updates from the opening encounter.

Bangladesh Squad: Saif Hassan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali(w/c), Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nasum Ahmed

Afghanistan Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan(c), Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Mohammad Ishaq, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Bashir Ahmad, Abdullah Ahmadzai

The first T20I between Afghanistan and Bangladesh will be streamed live in India on the FanCode app and website.

Afghanistan have won the toss and opted to bat first.

Afganistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (c), Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Ishaq, Fareed Ahmed

Bangladesh: Jaker Ali (c & wk), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Nurul Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

The match is underway and Afghanistan are off to a good start.

Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran open for Afghanistan.

Bangladesh have rocked Afghanistan early with three quick strikes. Nasum Ahmed set the tone by deceiving Ibrahim Zadran with a clever slower ball that crashed into middle. Soon after, Tanzim Hasan Sakib unleashed a nasty short one to Sediqullah Atal, who top-edged straight to Emon at slip. The chaos deepened when Mustafizur Rahman forced a mix-up, with Gurbaz stranded after Rasooli refused the run. Afghanistan, once off to a steady start, are now in all sorts of trouble as Bangladesh tighten their grip.

Azmatullah and Gurbaz combine to steady Afghanistan's innings from the collapse.

Rishad Hossain continues Bangladesh’s stranglehold! He tosses it up fuller and tempts Azmatullah into a big swing, only for the batter to hole out to long-on where Tanzim makes no mistake.

Yet another soft dismissal halts Afghanistan’s rebuild, and with no real partnership of note so far, the innings looks wobbly.

The experienced Mohammad Nabi now walks in, but Bangladesh remain firmly on top.

The big wicket falls! Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the only Afghan batter threatening to push the total to respectability, departs for a fighting 40 off 31. Tanzim Hasan Sakib deceives him with a clever slower top-spinner, and Rishad Hossain makes no mistake at cover-point. Gurbaz’s dismissal is a hammer blow with just four overs left. Tanzim and Rishad have now combined superbly in this demolition job, and though Mohammad Nabi is still at the crease, Afghanistan face an uphill battle to set a competitive score.

Mohammad Nabi promised fireworks and briefly delivered, smashing Taskin Ahmed for 3 towering sixes. But Taskin had the last laugh, a clever knuckle-ball lured Nabi into another big hit, only for Rishad Hossain to hold on safely at long-on. A crucial cameo ends, just as it looked dangerous. Rashid Khan is in now and makes an immediate impact with a boundary first ball, keeping Afghanistan’s hopes of a late surge alive.

Afghanistan stage a spirited recovery at the death! Sharafuddin’s late flourish ensures they push past 150, a score that looked unlikely when Bangladesh had them reeling earlier. From being completely on the ropes, the hosts have clawed back momentum and put runs on the board. It may not be a daunting total, but in T20 cricket, scoreboard pressure can tell, Bangladesh will need a steady chase under lights.

Bangladesh head into the chase as favourites, but it won’t be straightforward. Afghanistan have the spinners to make life tricky on this surface, and if Rashid Khan and co. find their rhythm, this contest could tighten quickly. Runs are on the board, and Afghanistan’s fighting finish keeps them alive.

Bangladesh are off and running in their pursuit of 152. Openers Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan are in the middle, with Emon on 4 off 8 and Tanzid looking to settle in. A steady start so far, but Afghanistan’s spin challenge still looms large as Nabi comes in to bowl the 3rd.

What a statement start from the Bangladesh openers! Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan are in a hurry, taking on Afghanistan’s attack and racing to 44 without loss inside the first five overs. The chase is firmly on track, and Afghanistan desperately need a breakthrough before this partnership takes the game away.

The opening stand continues to flourish. Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan have rattled off 69 runs in the first eight overs, bringing the asking rate down to seven an over. Captain Rashid Khan brings himself back into the attack, desperate in the quest of a wicket.

Fifty for Parvez Hossain Emon! It has been an excellent knock from the Bangladesh opener, who has now stitched together an unbroken century partnership with Tanzid Hasan to make light work of the 152-run target. Hasan, himself, is just one run shy of a well-deserved half-century.

What a turnaround this is! From cruising at 104 without loss, Bangladesh have suddenly slipped to 116-4. Rashid Khan has sparked the collapse with a brilliant three-wicket burst, rattling the chase and dragging Afghanistan right back into the contest. The pressure is mounting. Is there still a twist left in this chase?

The game has flipped on its head! Bangladesh’s chase, once cruising, now looks tense and set to go right down to the wire. Rashid Khan has produced a spell for the ages, finishing with 4/18, before Noor Ahmad joined the party by dismissing Tanzim Hasan Sakib for a duck. From 104-0, Bangladesh are suddenly 125-6, still needing 27 off the last 18 balls. Afghanistan sniff a famous comeback!

Bangladesh seal victory by 4 wickets with an over to spare! Nurul Hasan turned the tide in the penultimate phase, smashing two crucial sixes off Azmatullah to break Afghanistan’s grip, before Rishad Hossain applied the finishing touches. Afghanistan’s spinners, led by Rashid Khan’s brilliant 4/18, had nearly pulled off a famous win, but their pacers faltered under pressure. In the end, Bangladesh hold their nerve in Sharjah to go 1-0 up in the series.

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