Afghans stun Tigers

Shakib had a match to forget as a captain. Photo collected from Facebook
Shakib had a match to forget as a captain. Photo collected from Facebook

Bangladesh batsmen cut a sorry figure while Afghanistan bowlers ran riot to lead their team to a surprising 45-run win in the first T20 at Dehradun on Sunday.

Chasing 168, the Tigers lost opener Tamim Iqbal in the very first ball as Mujeeb Ur Rahman trapped the hard-hitter leg before and Bangladesh hardly looked a side capable of scaling the target ever since.

Mohammad Nabi soon removed Tigers skipper Shakib Al Hasan to keep up the pressure and when Liton Das was looking likely to turn things around, the veteran spinner trapped him leg before, too. Liton's 30 off 20 balls was the highest by a Bangladesh batsman on the day.

The visitors still had hopes in Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, but the former heartbreakingly tried to play switch hit in Rashid Khan's first delivery to ruin the chances.

In the next ball, Rashid made Sabbir Rahman the third Bangladesh batsman to be trapped leg before, and Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain were left with an uphill task. The duo were just hanging there before Shapoor Zardan struck three times to make sure his team end up as the winners. He was so fierce that the ball broke a stump into two pieces when Rubel Hossain failed to read his delivery.

Mahmudullah was the second highest scorer for the team, with 29.

Rashid Khan was adjudged the man-of-the-match for his 3 for 13.

Put into bat first, openers Mohammad Shahzad and Usman Ghani had given Afghanistan a great start. The duo made 62 in 8.2 overs before Rubel Hossain bowled the latter to break the stand.

Usman had contributed 26 to the partnership, courtesy of two fours and a six, while Shahzad, who soon joined his opening partner in the dressing room, hit five fours to make 40 off 37 balls.

Mahmudullah then struck twice in the same over to unsettle the Afghan attack, but skipper Asghar Stanikzai's 25 kept the Afghans in the battle.

Samiullah Shenwari and Shafiqullah then wreaked havoc as Afghanistan added 52 in the last three overs. The former blasted 36 in 18 balls, thanks to three fours and three sixes, while the latter hammered 24 in 8 deliveries, with a four and three sixes, to lead the score to a handsome 167.

Abul Hasan bagged two wickets for the Tigers.

The teams play the second match on Tuesday, at the same ground.