Bangladesh registered a nail biting 2-wicket win against Afghanistan in a rain hit first of the two Twenty 2o internationals at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Friday. 

With Towhid Hridoy remaining unbeaten on 47 off 32 balls and Shamim Hossain finishing with a 25-ball 33 to cruise the target 157-8, with one ball to spare in reply to 154-7 by the Afghans. 

Karim Janat was the standout bowler for the Afghans thanks to his hat trick by leaking only 15 runs.

Mohammad Nabi was the highest scorer with an undefeated 40 ball-54 for the tourists and next top, 18 ball-33 came from Azmatullah Omarzai’s bat. 

With the bowl Shakib Al Hasan took 2 while Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nasum Ahmed claimed one wicket apiece. 

With Bangladesh needing a challenging total Bangladesh were in deep trouble after they lost their top order trio for 39.

Shakib and Hridoy then shared a 22-ball 25 run stand to take the hosts beyond the fifty run mark prior to the removal of the former by Fareed Ahmed leaving the side at 64-4 in 10.1.

However, Bangladesh overcame the blow after Towhid pulling Fareed for six in the final delivery of the same over.

In coming, Shamim who survived a leg-before appeal from Fareed at the out-set then joined the get-together slapping Azmatullah and Rashid for fours to turn the tide for the Tigers.

The southpaw further rewarded another life by Najibullah Zadran on 25, after the latter dropped a dolly at the square-leg boundary line by Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman.

The home side got essence of victory after Towhid perfectly smashed Fazalhaq Farooqi’s slower bounce for a maximum.

Shamim followed the footsteps of the fellow colleague smashing for a boundary in the same over that cost Farooqi a bit high with 16, as the Tigers required only 19 from the last 18 balls.

However, Shamim lost the way in the following over adding a robust 43-ball 74 run in the fifth wicket after he was edged by Rashid.

In coming Mehidy Hasan who looked to draw the finishing hitting a four in the last over had to stop right Karim had him for 8. The right-arm medium pacer then claimed Taskin and Nasum to claim the hat trick.  

Shoriful then hit a boundary before the final delivery to reach the hosts to the shores of victory.

Although Taskin’s caught behind the stumps in the next of ball of Janat again made so.

Earlier, opting to bowl first, Bangladesh struck in just third over after they sent Afghans to bat first with left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed claiming the wicket of Hazratullah Zazai for 8.

Taskin Ahmed gave Bangladesh massive relief, taking the wicket of dangerman Rahmanullah Gurbaz who pulled it straight to Mehidy Hasan Miraz at deep backward for 16.

Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam then joined the party as he had Ibrahim Zadran for 8, leaving Afghanistan at 32-3.

Afterwards, Shakib Al Hasan who was the best bowler for the side with 2-27, got into act with the wicket of Karim Janat for 3.

Then Nabi and Nazibullah Zadran took the charge of the visitor’s innings and combined for 35 off 37 balls to curb the early damage before Mehidy Hasan removed the latter who looked set to build a good partnership with Nabi.

Nabi carried on single-handedly along with Omarzai despite losing the set partner, and induced the momentum for the tourists smacking Nasum a boundary at the very first delivery of sixteenth over.

He further continued his gusty shows smashing Taskin two maximums in the next over while Azmatullah accompanied him with the similar approach that rewarded him successive to maximums as he slapped Shakib for back-to-back sixes before he was dismissed by the Tiger skipper to break this partnership, that paved the way from them to go past 150-run mark.

Thanks to the duo’s assault, Afghanistan scored 60 runs in the last five overs.

Nabi then pulled Mustafizur Rahman for a boundary through deep mid-wicket to raise his fifth half-century off 39 balls and also brought up the team's 154 runs.