Bangladesh beat Afghanistan in last ball finish

486

ABU DHABI, Sept 24, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Bangladesh paceman Mustafizur Rahman
held his nerves to bowl a final dot ball in the 50th over to give his team a
nerve-wracking three-run win over Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Needing eight to win off the 50th over Afghanistan lost Rashid Khan for
five off the second ball while Samiullah Shinwari (23 not out) and Gulbadin
Naib managed just two leg byes to finish at 246-7.

Bangladesh had made 249-7 on the back of half centuries from Mahmudullah
Riyad and Imrul Kayes at the Sheik Zayed Stadium.

The Bangladesh win meant India sailed into the September 28 final in Dubai
while Pakistan and Bangladesh meet in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday to decide the
second finalist.

India thumped Pakistan by nine wickets in a one-sided match in Dubai on
Sunday.

Afghanistan were helped to their total with a 99-ball 71 by Hashmatullah
Shahidi who hit five boundaries while opener Mohammad Shahzad made an 81-ball
53 with eight boundaries.

Skipper Asghar Afghan (39) and Mohammad Nabi (38) made useful contributions
but the asking rate climed to mount presure in the final over.

Earlier, Riyad scored an 81-ball 74 with two sixes and three boundaries
while Kayes — recalled as a back-up to strengthen the batting — made an 89
ball 72 not out to help Bangladesh recover from a precarious 5-87.

Opener Liton Das scored 41 and Mushfiqur Rahim made 33 but Bangaldesh – who
won the toss and batted — owed their total to a solid 128-run stand for the
sixth wicket between Riyad and Kayes.

Kayes gave good support to Riyad as the two built the innings after
Bangladesh’s star batsman Shakib Al Hasan was run out for nought.

Kayes hit six boundaries as Bangladesh played the dangerous spinning duo of
Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman who managed a wicket each.