Afghanistan post a competitive 151/9 after early batting collapses and a late recovery
Rashid Khan’s sensational 4/18 nearly turns the game for Afghanistan
Bangladesh chase down 152 with 8 balls to spare, thanks to strong opening stands and late finishing flair
Afghanistan, winning the toss, elected to bat first on Thursday (October 2, 2025) in the first T20 international of their three-match series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in United Arab Emirates. They looked set for a competitive total before being rocked by early wickets. Ibrahim Zadran (15) and Sediqullah Atal (10) fell cheaply to Nasum Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, putting Afghanistan under pressure at 31/2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz provided a spark with a brisk 40 off 31 balls, but regular dismissals, including run-outs and soft edges to the slip cordon, restricted Afghanistan to 151/9. Mohammad Nabi (38) and Sharafuddin Ashraf (17*) led a late recovery, giving Afghanistan a fighting total.
Bangladesh’s chase began brightly as openers Parvez Hossain Emon (54 off 37) and Tanzid Hasan (51 off 37) put on an unbroken 100+ run stand. The pair raced to 100 without loss, making the 152-run target appear comfortable. Emon’s fluent strokeplay and Hasan’s aggressive approach brought the required run rate under control, with boundaries flowing freely in the powerplay.
However, the match turned dramatically as Rashid Khan came into the attack and produced a sensational spell of 4/18 in four overs. Noor Ahmad joined the attack, removing Tanzim Hasan for a duck, triggering a collapse that saw Bangladesh slip 6 wickets in just 9 runs. Afghanistan’s spin duo brought the contest right back into the balance, and the tension mounted with 27 needed off the last 18 balls.
Bangladesh’s experience shone through in the final overs. Nurul Hasan’s quickfire 23, including two crucial sixes off Azmatullah Omarzai, revived the chase, while Rishad Hossain calmly finished the innings. The visitors reached 153/6 in 18.4 overs, securing a thrilling 4-wicket win with 8 balls remaining. Parvez Hossain Emon was deservedly named Player of the Match. Bangladesh take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after a gripping opener at Sharjah.
Afghanistan Vs Bangladesh, 1st T20I: Playing XIs
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Ishaq, Fareed Ahmad Malik
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Jaker Ali (wk/c), Nurul Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
Jaker Ali is leading Bangladesh in the absence of regular captain Litton Das, who has been ruled out with a side strain. While the Afghans are looking to rebound after a disappointing Asia Cup campaign where they failed to reach the Super Fours, the Bangla Tigers enter this game after narrowly missing out on a final berth in the continental tournament.
The three T20Is will be followed by a three-match ODI leg in Abu Dhabi.
Afghanistan Vs Bangladesh, 1st T20I: Live Streaming Details
When and where will the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, 1st T20I be played?
The Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, 1st T20I will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in United Arab Emirates on Thursday, October 2, 2025 at 8pm IST.
Where will the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, 1st T20I be telecast and live streamed?
The Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, 1st T20I will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website in India. It will not be telecast on any TV channel in the country.
Afghanistan Vs Bangladesh, 1st T20I: Squads
Bangladesh: Saif Hassan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Mahedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali (wk/c), Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nasum Ahmed
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 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
