Bangladesh skipper Shakib al Hasan playing during his unbeaten 70-run innings which helped Bangladesh break a streak of four losses in T20 against Afghanistan. -BCB
Bangladesh snapped Afghanistan's four-match winnings streak against them by securing a four-wicket victory in the last match of the Tri-nation T20 series group phase at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Saturday.
Skipper Shakib Al Hasan played a tremendous 70 of just 45 balls. In what turned out to be the dress rehearsal of final after the early elimination of tournament's third team Zimbabwe, Bangladesh also gained the psychological edge.
The bowlers, however, paved the way, having restricted Afghanistan to 138-7. The visitors kept them in the hunt by taking wickets at regular intervals but Shakib Al Hasan was unfazed by the wickets tumbling around him and struck his ninth T20 half-century as Bangladesh reached 139-6 in 19 overs.
Shakib helped the side recover from unstable start after Bangladesh was reduced to 12-2, losing the two openers-Liton Das (4) who was dismissed by Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Nazmul Hossain Shanto (4), whom pacer Naveen-ul-Haq removed for his maiden wicket on his debut.
Shakib got support in Mushfiqur Rahim and the duo added 58-run for the third wicket stand before the latter dragged a pull to the mid-wicket off Karim Janat for 26.
Shakib however played his shots at will and reached his ninth T20 fifty knocking a slower from Naveen-ul-Haq to mid-wicket for two. But the other batsmen kept perishing after failing to negotiate Rashid Khan tactfully. Mahmudullah Riyad, Sabbir Rahman and Afif Hossain all fell for single digit figure before Mosaddek came up as able support for Shakib.
Together they took the side home without further fuss. Shakib smashed eight fours and one six in 70 not out which also helped him to surpass Tamim Iqbal's 1566 to be Bangladesh's highest scorer in this format with 1567 runs so far.
He is also the highest wicket-taker for the country in this format with 91 scalps.Naveen and Rashid took two wickets apiece for Afghans. Shakib also grabbed 1-24 in the match.
But Afif Hossain, an occasional off-spinner, claimed 2-9 in three overs to lead the charge while the other bowlers played their part intriguingly well to curb the aggression of the Afghanistan's power-packed batting line up.Mohammad Saifuddin, Shaiful Islam, Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman took one wicket apiece to complement Afif.
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