Afghanistan dash Bangladesh in World Cup warm-up

Sports Mail24
Published: 06:36PM. 17 Oct 2022
Afghanistan dash Bangladesh in World Cup warm-up

Bangladesh started their ICC T20 World Cup campaign on a frustrating note as they suffered a 62-run defeat in their first warm-up tie against Afghanistan in Brisbane on Monday.

With the stuttering start from the top orders alongside the penultimate over issues, the Tigers were restricted to 98-9 in the stipulated overs with Fazal Haque Farooqi scalping three wickets, pursuing a modest 161.

Mohammad Nabi's unbeaten quick fire 17-ball 41 and Ibrahim Zadran’s 46 off 39 balls powered Afghanistan to 160-7.

For Bangladesh, a sluggish 31-ball 16 came from the makeshift opener Mehidy Hasan Miraz due to the injury concern of Liton Das.

Taskin Ahmed claimed three, while Shakib Al Hasan and Hasan Mahmud took two wickets each.

With Bangladesh needing 161, they lost their top four batsmen inside the power play, that shortened them to 26-4 and pushed them out of the game.

Fazal Haque claimed Shakib and Afif in his straight two deliveries of the fifth over that stood him before the hat trick.

In the fifth wicket stand, wicketkeeper batsman Nurul Hasan and Mehidy Hassan formed a 20-run partnership; however, that wasn’t adequate to cruise to the moderate target as the former was removed for 13 by Fareedd Ahmed before Yasir Ali was dismissed by the same bowler, leading to a simple catch at slip.

Mehedi Hasan's vigil as opener came to an end after a 31-ball 15 as Naveen-ul-Haq disturbed the woodwork.

Wobbling to 47-7 Mosaddek Hossain provided some resistance to guide Bangladesh to reach 98 for 9 in 20 overs.

Earlier, following Taskin Ahmed claiming Hazrat Zazai for 15 in the fourth over, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (27 off 19) and Ibrahim Zadran (46 off 39) starred in a 43-run stand before the former departed to Shakib Al Hasan.

Taskin struck again in the 14th over to cut Darwish Rasooli, while Ibrahim was picked up by Hasan Mahmud in the next over as Afghanistan were in trouble.

Later, Najibullah Zadran fell to Hasan as Afghanistan reached 118 for five.

However in the last three overs Afghans produced 42 runs with Mohammad Nabi's 17-ball 41 helping Afghanistan to 160-7.

Bangladesh will encounter South Africa in the next warm-up on October 19.

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