Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Najmul Hossain Shanto scored century as Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by 89 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan, to maintain their hopes of winning the Asia Cup.
Because of the large margin, Bangladesh now has a strong chance of moving on to the Super 4 regardless of what happens between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
Miraz, who in as a substitute opener in the “do or die” match for Bangladesh, hit a career-high 112 while Shanto, coming off an 89, hit 104, leading the team to a daunting 334-5, their third-highest total in ODI history.
Tasking Ahmed (4-44) and Shoriful Islam (3-36), two new ball bowlers, worked in tandem to help Bangladesh knock Afghanistan out for 245 in 44.3 overs, sharing seven wickets between them.
Following their five-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in the first game, Miraz and Shanto’s 194-run partnership, the second-highest for Bangladesh in third wicket, was important to the team’s crucial victory.
Only Miraz’s injury forced him to retire after a superb 119 ball innings that had seven fours and three sixes did the pair part ways. When Bangladesh was reduced to 63-2 in the eleventh over on a placid pitch, they formed the partnership to set the tone.
Naim Sheikh made a respectable start after captain Shakib Al Hasan elected to bat first, but he was dismissed for 28 after failing to read a googly from Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Towhid Hridoy, promoted to No.3, was out for his first duck in his career, leaving the onus on Miraz and Shanto, who responded brilliantly.
Their strategy to bat with caution and aggression served them well as Bangladesh found the impetus which was missing in the game against Sri Lanka.
Both Shanto and Miraz initially paid a due respect to Rashid Khan in another strategic move.
As they got their eye in, both came out from the shell, unleashing some powerful shots against Afghan bowlers including Rashid Khan as Bangladesh moved towards 300-run mark.
Miraz’s retire apparently was a distraction but Bangladesh did well to combat it. However what hurt Bangladesh was the three run outs dismissals which started with Shanto’s dismissal, shortly after he reached his second century. His 105 ball-104 was studded by nine fours and two sixes.
But the Tigers, led by Shanto and Miraz executed their plan so well against old nemesis Mujeeb and Rashid that both of them end up giving away six plus runs an over, for the first time against Bangladeshi batters.
Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib then gave the finishing touch impeccably. Mushfiqur who looked in superb touch was trapped run out after scoring 25 off 15.
Shakib blasted 18 ball-32 not out as Bangladesh posted a total that proved to be match winning.
In a benign pitch, there was always hope for Afghanistan. But it got a massive setback when Shoriful swung one admirably to trap Rahmanullah Gurbaz leg-before for just 1 in the second over.
A natural attacking batter Gurbaz’s early dismissal made Bangladesh clearly favourite in the game.
Shoriful was not done yet. His opening spell which read 4-1-8-1 was also vital in strangling Afghanistan in this batting paradise Ibarhim Zadran and Rahmat Shah shared slow-paced 78 off 97 for the second wicket, which further ensured the target would be beyond the reach of Afghanistan.
Zadran however made up later and scored team-high 75 off 74 with 10 fours and one six. But Rahmat’s 33 came off 57 balls.
Skipper Hasmatullah Shahidi (51) was the other one to his a half-century but that mattered little.
Zadran looked threatening after Taskin Ahmed rattled the stump of Rahmat but Hasan Mahmud had him caught by Mushfiqur Rahim.
Bangladesh bowlers them made regular inroads, ensuring Afghanistan would fall flat.
