Bangladesh go from 132/3 to 143 all out, Afghanistan’s Allah Ghazanfar shatters records with 5 wickets in 11 balls
Bangladesh went from 132/3 to 143 all out, losing their last seven wickets for 11 runs as Afghanistan spinner Allah Ghazanfar caused mayhem to help his side win the first ODI in Sharjah by 92 runs. Ghazanfar picked up five wickets in 11 balls in his second spell to run through Bangladesh’s middle and lower order.
Bangladesh were cruising towards their modest 236-run target with Towhid Hridoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz at the crease when Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi threw the ball to Allah Ghazanfar. In his first spell of four overs, the teenage spinner had picked a wicket for 21 runs. Nothing alarming. But those who have followed the his rise would know that changing the course of a match within a few overs is something that comes quite naturally to Ghazanfar. And he did that in some style on Wednesday night.
The 18-year-old grabbed 6-26 – his career best in this format – in 6.3 overs.
Mohammad Nabi hit 84 off 79 balls after captain Hashmatullah Shahidi made a sedate 52 for Afghanistan, who were dismissed for 235 in 49.4 overs having won the toss and batted first.
Ghazanfar, playing in his sixth ODI, triggered a Bangladesh collapse after skipper Najmul Hossain (47) and Mehidy Hasan (28) had put Bangladesh on track for a successful chase.
Opener Soumya Sarkar also made 33 before the wheels came off for Bangladesh.
Once Nabi dismissed Najmul, Ghazanfar came into his own in his fifth over. He removed Mehidy when he got a top edge trying to sweep in the fourth ball of the over. Ghazanfar then claimed three more wickets in his next over.
He had Mushfiqur Rahim stumped and trapped Rishad Hossain lbw, both for one, before bowling Taskin Ahmed for a first-ball duck.
Ghazanfar wrapped up the match with the wicket of Shoriful Islam, registering the best figures in all Bangladesh-Afghanistan ODIs, bettering Shakib Al Hasan’s 5-29 at Southampton in 2019.
‘Allah Ghazanfar a special talent’
“He (Allah Ghazanfar) is a passionate youngster who always wants to do well,. He’s a special talent who will win matches for Afghanistan,” said Shahidi. “When I was batting with Nabi we thought a 230-plus total would be enough with our bowling.”
Najmul rued Bangladesh’s batting slump and placed part of the blame on himself.
“I think my wicket turned the match,” said Najmul. “I was the set batsman so when I got out we needed to bat longer but credit to Afghanistan spinners for the way they bowled.”
Afghanistan were themselves in trouble at 35-4 before Nabi and Shahidi put on an innings-repairing 104 runs for the sixth wicket to lift the team to a fighting total.
Bangladesh’s pace duo of Taskin and Mustafizur Rahman both took four wickets each
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