Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz (L) with Afif Hossain during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on 23 February, 2022
Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz (L) with Afif Hossain during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on 23 February, 2022
Cricket

Plan was to play normal cricket against Afghan spinners: Afif

Prothom Alo English Desk

Bangladeshi batter Afif Hossain said they had a specific plan to play normal cricket against the spin trio of Afghanistan and take calculative risk against pace bowlers, reports BSS.

Afghanistan spin trio-Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi were believed to wreak havoc on the Bangladeshi batters but two youngsters Afif and Mehidy Hasan Miraz dealt with them with utmost confidence to sail Bangladesh home.

"There was a specific plan to play normal cricket against the spinners and take a calculative risk against pacers. The advice from the dressing room was to play normal cricket without losing any wicket," Afif said.

"Everyone in the dressing room believed that we could have won the game had we stayed in the crease till the last," he added.

Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz played the innings of their life as Bangladesh recovered from a precarious 45-6 to script a stunning four-wicket victory over Afghanistan.

Bangladesh's Afif Hossain plays a shot during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on 23 February, 2022

Both of them hit their career-best knock in the process to frustrate Afghanistan. Afif hit an unbeaten 93 off 115, clobbering 11 fours and one six and Miraz was not out on 81 from 120 balls with nine fours.

They combined for a 174-run partnership, which was Bangladesh's best for the seventh and second best in ODI cricket history, behind 177 by England's Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid against New Zealand in 2015.

Their wavering resolve in the partnership helped Bangladesh race to the victory with seven balls to spare with 219-6 after Afghanistan were bowled out for 215 in 49.1 overs.

"After losing six wickets, our only goal was not to give wicket. I was batting with the goal that I could spend as long as I could without giving my wicket."

Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz plays a shot during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on 23 February, 2022

"Miraj Bhai has batted very well. When the boundary was needed, he hit the boundary to ease the pressure. We tried not to play many dot balls."

Miraz rated his innings as the best because it came against a best bowling attack.

"To me, today's innings is definitely better. Because today's innings was against world class bowlers. Today's situation was different. Today I had to stay on the wicket and I was successful by the grace of Allah."

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