Youngsters RahmanullahGurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran starred with a cruising century each to seal the three-match series victory after winning the second ODI against Bangladesh by 142 runs.
Riding on tons from the openers RahmanullahGurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran Afghanistan scored a challenging 331 runs for nine wickets in the second ODI on Saturday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram.
Keeping aside all the off field story of Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh won the toss and choose to bowl first, but the Afghan batters took the advantage of flat wickets despite losing the coin favoures to set a massive 332 runs target for the hosts to win. Bangladesh were all out for 189 runs.
Afghanistan having the chance to bat first made a flying start when the openers RahmanullahGurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran scored 67 runs in their first power play (10 over).
Carrying the momentum, opening pair Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran stitched highest-ever ODI stand for Afghanistan scoring 256 runs punishing the Tigers’ bowlers before Shakib Al Hassan making the first breakthrough.
It was also the highest-ever opening partnership for Afghanistan in the ODI when Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zardan crossed the previous one of 135 runs by Mohammad Shahzad and IhsanullahJanat against Zimbabiwe.
However, Gurbaz, who onset with fierce mood right from the fifth ball of the first over and opened the account with a boundary, did not spare any of the bowlers on the way to slam his fourth ODI hundred.
Gurbaz hammered 145 off 125 balls featuring with 13 fours and eight maximums before being trapped lbw off Shakib Al Hassan.
Gurbaz reached to his second century against Bangladesh playing just as many balls with cracking eight boundaries and six sixes.
Ibrahim Zardan, trustworthy company of Gurbaz, who was a bit slow but steady to score 100 before being caught by Nazmul Hossain Shanto off Mustafiz.
Irahim, who has been in sensational form in recent times, played his 13th ODI to compile 748 runs at an impressive average of 68 and was very much calculative on the day.
After the departure of the opening stand in a span of three runs, none of rest Afghan batters could not play any big innings, apart from Mohammed Nabi hitting a rapid 25 off 15 balls with a boundary and an over-boundary
Tigers bowlers, who struggled much to break the opening partnership, located their line and length to take seven wickets for 75 runs but it was too late, as Afghanistan batters made the challenging total.
Mustafizur Rahman, Hassan Mahmud, Shakib Al Hassan and Mehidy Hassan Miraz claimed two wickets each when Ebdaot picked up one to restrict the visitors for 331.
Following the bowlers Tigers’ batters also made a struggling start when they lost three wickets for 25 runs along with the openers Litton Das and Naim Sheikh, and one down Nazmul Hossain Shanto.
Chasing to a big target Bangladesh the huge blows losing a couple of wicket for 20 runs with the opener Litton Das went for 13 with scoreboard reading only 15 runs.
In fact the Tigers looked very shaky right from the first over, as they could score only 28 runs in the first 10 overs when Afghanistan scored 67 runs and struggle were going on when scored their first 50 in 14.4 overs but Afghanistan scored their first 100 from 14.2 overs.
However, Litton Das, the hard hitter opener, who took the responsibility to lead the team following a leave of the regular captain Tamim Iqbal, looked too aggressive when he struck three fours to score 13 runs. Litton tried to play a bouncer from Farooqi but the ball top edged and went to midwicket when Mohammed Nabi did not miss a dolly catch, as the visitors had an early breakthrough.
Nazmul Hossain Shanto and opener Naim Sheikh followed the captain every five runs interval when Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck back to back over.
Shanto, the inform batters was just bowled trying to play a full-length delivery from Mujeeb for only one run and team was on 20.
Opener Naim Sheikh, who was supposed to be the replacement of Tamim Iqbal, disappointed much as he was struggling and finally turned into Farooqi’s second victim when the pacer led the Afghan’s attack.
Naim could manage only nine runs playing 21 balls before being bowled by FazalhaqFarooqi and Bangladesh reduced to three for 25.
Following the destructive bowling attack from Farooqi and Mujeeb Rahman, back to back struck from Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi shattered the Tigers’ hope to bounce back the game when they picked up TowhidHridoy and Shakib Al Hassan respectively in a span of five runs only.
Shakib Al Hassan and TowhidHridoy tried hard to repair the early damage but after adding just 40 runs in the fourth wicket partnership was departed with Rahisd Khan coming into action and bowled out Hridoy for 16 runs when Mohammad Nabi trapped Shakib for lbw for 25.
Hridoy, who was only the batter to score 50 runs in the series opener looked a bit confident, though was very slow but could not stay along as Rahisd Khan beat him with a googly.
Afif Hossain displayed another dubious batting following his eight runs in the first ODI when the middle order batter went for a duck with Rashid Khan struck again and Bangladesh reduced for 72 for six.
Mushfiqur Rahim scored the team highest 69 runs to reduce the margin of defeat of the Tigers.
