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The relationship of T20 cricket with Afghanistan is different. A small version of cricket belongs to Afghans. Bangladesh's relationship is completely opposite. From the beginning, the 20-over game was incomprehensible to Bangladesh.
But from the beginning of this year, that picture started to change slowly. After first defeating the world champions England, then Ireland, Bangladesh was able to win the T20 series for the first time against the Afghans. Bangladesh grabbed that opportunity with both hands.
6.82 runs per over — that was the run chase equation for Bangladesh today. Afif Hossain, who opened for the first time in international cricket, scored 22 runs on the scoreboard before the first ball was bowled. 22 runs by Lytton.
Four were 5 in these 22 runs from 10 balls. Fazlhaq Faruqi's first over comes with 9 runs in two boundaries. Liton welcomed the anointed Wafather Momand by hitting 3 consecutive fours in international T20 cricket.
The fear that was against the Afghans with the new ball was blown away in those 2 overs. Liton-Afif did not have to take risks in the next overs of Mujeeb ur Rehman and Farooqui as the run rate reached. 1-2 runs was the demand of the time. Bangladesh reached 50 runs in the last over of powerplay with 4 runs from the bye and Afif's six. What could be a better start to a 119 run match!
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However, in the tenth over of the innings, Bangladesh lost both the openers. Lytton's innings was stopped by Rashid Khan's incredible catch as he blasted Mujib through the covers. Litton, who started the innings at a strike rate of 200, had 35 runs from 36 balls to his name when he got out. After 1 ball, Afif was caught by Karim Khan while sweeping Mujeeb's full length ball. He made 24 off 20 balls. Nazmul Hossain's (4) innings was not long either. Straight ball from Omarzai misses the line and bowls.
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However, Tawhid Hriday and Shakib Al Hasan blew away the worry that added to the run chase after losing 3 quick wickets with four sixes each. The duo's 21-ball 31-run partnership took Bangladesh to victory. Needing 4 runs to win in the last over, Shamim hit square leg for four on Wafather's first ball. The spectators of Sylhet who were sitting in the rain-soaked field erupted in screams. Shakib ended up unbeaten on 18 runs off 11 balls, Shamim scored 7 runs off 7 balls.
Like the previous match, the Bangladesh team has shown dominance in the Afghan powerplay. Taskin's words have to be said separately in this case. He got Bangladesh off to a great start by dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz like in the first match. That too in the first over of the innings. Gurbaz (8) was caught by Taskin while playing a pull shot. It was Taskin's 50th wicket in T20Is, making him the second Bangladeshi pacer to reach the milestone after Mostafizur Rahman.
On the other hand, Hasan Mahmud continued to increase the pressure with one dot ball from the other end. His first spell had 9 dot balls in 2 overs! Taskin took advantage of this opportunity. Hazratullah Zazai, another Afghan hard-hitter, was trapped cut behind in his second over. That's exactly what happened after the quick departure of the two openers. At the end of the first 6 overs of the Powerplay after losing 2 wickets, the Afghans scored 34 runs, of which 13 came in the sixth over by Mustafiz.
After that, the Afghan innings lasted an hour and a half due to rain. Even after the start of the game, the power of the Bangladeshi bowlers continued. In the ninth over of the innings, Nasum created an opportunity to get Mohammad Nabi out. Nabi was saved by skipper Shakib's catch at cover. However, Mustafiz did not allow Nabi's innings to be long. Cut behind him in the next over. After that, Shakib hit twice. Ibrahim (22) was caught out at long on while hitting a six through mid-wicket. In the same over, Najibullah Zadran (5) bowled while playing a cut shot.
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After losing 5 wickets for 67 runs, the Afghans were disoriented. From there, Karim Janat (25) and Azmatullah Omarzai (20) pulled the Afghan innings. The duo added 42 runs off 29 balls before Mustafiz and Taskin were dismissed to take the Afghans past 100. Taskin took maximum 3 wickets for Bangladesh, Shakib and Mostafiz took 2 wickets each. However, despite not getting any wicket, Nasum gave only 15 runs in 4 overs. It can be said that the stage of victory is built by these bowlers.
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