In the Midst of the Cricket Battle: Afghanistan Takes on Bangladesh in World Cup 2023

Shanto, Mehidy keep Bangladesh ticking nicely

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz kept Bangladesh ticking

After a bit of a shaky start, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz have kept the chase on track. The duo have crossed the fifty-run stand and are looking very comfortable. Only Rashid Khan has looked threatening. He has landed the wrong’uns on point with both batters not reading him off the hand. Nothing much happening otherwise as well. Bangladesh have not recorded a four since the 13th over but these two have kept the scoreboard ticking, which is enough. Bangladesh are 91 for 2 after 20 overs and need 66 to win off 30 overs

Another chance goes to ground

Mehidy Hasan Miraz was given two lives

Not great fielding from Afghanistan. Naveen-ul-Haq gets the short ball going his way outside off. Mehidy looks to ramp it but does not get all of it. Mujeeb at deep third reacts late to his right, and in the end just sticks out the right hand. The ball does not stick. Mujeeb reacted late, but even then, he could have used both hands, I think. Two chances have gone down already, both off Mehidy. Bangladesh: 65 for 2 after 13 overs

Farooqi strikes; Mehidy dropped

Fazalhaq Farooqi cleaned up Litton Das

Afghanistan is fighting, no doubt about that. Farooqi induces a thick inside-edge off Litton Das’ blade that thuds into leg stump. It was a length ball outside off that Litton went hard at. Could only manage a chop-on. Mehidy, however, starts strongly. Starts off with a flourishing cover drive before pulling Farooqi over square leg. Farooqi should have had Mehidy in the ninth over, but Najibullah Zadran shelled a straightforward chance at point. Mehidy slapped the length ball hard but Zadran reacted too meekly. Afghanistan has done well to restrict Bangladesh in the first ten overs, but wickets are the key. Bangladesh is 44 for 2 after 10 overs

And a wicket out of almost nothing

What was Tanzid doing there?

Litton taps a length ball to the right of point, who hares to his right and sends down a flat throw nailing a direct hit at the non-striker’s end. Tanzid backed up too much and was a touch lazy in turning back. The direct hit finds him inches short. A dive at the end and he would have been in. Mehidy Hasan Miraz walks in at No.3. Bangladesh: 22 for 1 after five overs

Enterprising start for Bangladesh

Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman start off with the ball

But both have been off the boil so far. Farooqi has found some swing, but his lines to the left-hander have been down leg. Mujeeb also starts with a couple of balls down leg that are flicked either side of short fine leg. Bangladesh is 19 for 0 after four overs

Can the Afghan spinners do their magic?

Rashid Khan’s spell will be key

The surface has kept a touch slow, and the Afghanistan spin trio will be keen on doing well. They don’t have a huge score to defend, but early wickets will be keen. Matt Roller says that Afghanistan‘s spinners have been out there warming up for a good 10 minutes now, Nabi while wearing his red wide-brim sunhat. Would be shocked if Mujeeb doesn’t take one of the new balls given the slowness of the surface. The two Bangladesh spinners are out in the middle. No Tamim Iqbal, remember. It will be Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan are out. And while Tamim might not be here, his fans have come out in numbers. This one group has a message for the former Bangladesh captain.

Afghanistan collapse to 156 all-out

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan combined to pick six wickets

That’s that! A collapse of epic proportions for Afghanistan. They were 83 for 1 after 15 overs and have slid to 156 all-out after 37.2, losing 73 for 9 in 22.2 overs. Shakib and Mehidy led the way with three wickets apiece, while Shoriful Islam picked two wickets. Rahmanullah Gurbaz top scored with 47, but none of the other batters could contribute much. Shoriful ended the Afghan innings with Naveen-ul-Haq pulling straight to deep midwicket. Here’s Mehidy who took 3 for 25 off nine overs with three maidens: “I am really happy that I got three wickets, I was a bit nervous in the first over. The captain told me if I bowl in good areas, it will be better. I think the wicket is a little tricky, sometimes holding and sometimes going straight, so I just tried to bowl in good areas.”

No respite from Bangladesh

Rashid Khan made only nine runs

The wickets continue to tumble, and Afghanistan is now nine down. Azmatullah Omarzai went the attacking way cracking Shakib Al Hasan for a couple of fours in an over. Rashid Khan also struck Shoriful for a four but was soon sent back by Mehidy. He was looking to turn a length ball to the on-side, gets a thin inside edge that rattles the off stump. Shoriful then returns and ends Omarzai’s sprightly knock for 22. Mehidy then claims the ninth wicket of the Afghanistan innings by casting Mujeeb Ur Rahman for 1. Afghanistan is 156 for 9 after 36 overs

From 112 for 2 to 126 for 6

Taskin Ahmed roars in delight

A collapse that was orchestrated by the spinners and is now being continued by the seam bowlers. Taskin Ahmed gets into the act sending back Mohammad Nabi. A sharp back of a length ball outside off, Nabi looks for a cut, can only get a thick inside edge that sends the leg stump cartwheeling. Afghanistan has lost four wickets for 14 runs off 32 balls.

Spin it to win it!

Miserly Mehidy: his first seven overs went for only 19

Here’s Matt Roller: “This looks like a very slow pitch, but Afghanistan is going even slower. They were 83 for 1 after 15 overs but have collapsed since the drinks break, struggling to rotate the strike against spin. Bangladesh’s main fingerspinners, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan, have kept things pretty simple with tight lines and good lengths and have combined figures of 4 for 36 from their 13 overs. Hashmatullah Shahidi, the captain, was particularly culpable after drinks. He was clearly trying to build a partnership with Rahmanullah Gurbaz but just couldn’t get himself off strike, with the result that Gurbaz found himself stuck at the wrong end. He did eventually accelerate a little, turning 5 off 22 balls into 18 off 38, but his side is now relying on the lower order to bail them out.”

Need a wicket? Call Shakib, maybe.

Dial Shakib for a wicket x 3

Najibullah Zadran now departs, and Shakib has turned this game Bangladesh‘s way all the way. This goes on with the arm from the over-the-wicket angle. Zadran plays down the wrong line, probably thought that would turn, but it kept going on straight. Misses and sees his stumps in a mess. Afghanistan 122 for 5 after 28.5 overs and in deep trouble

One brings two!

Rahmanullah Gurbaz scores 47 but could not carry on

And it is the big wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz! The slower one from the Fizz does the job. Gurbaz strides down the track but does not account for the slower ball. In the end, he can only slice it to deep cover, who gallops in and takes a good catch. Again, the point that Matt earlier made about the ball traveling at higher altitudes. Gurbaz is absolutely filthy with himself. He is down on his haunches while Fizz tumbles in joy. Shakib is super pumped. Gurbaz has thrown away a start, and Bangladesh firmly on top. Afghanistan: 112 for 4 after 26 overs

Mehidy ends Shahidi’s struggles

Hashmatullah Shahidi could never get in

Reward for some excellent bowling from Mehidy, who had the Afghanistan captain in all sorts. In all, Mehidy bowled 22 balls to Hashmatullah Shahidi, who could only score 3 runs. Could never get him away at any stage and in the end throws his wicket away. Mehidy sees him coming down the track and holds back his length. Shahidi goes through with the slog, loses his shape as the ball balloons to Hridoy, who takes a simple catch at the edge of the 30-yard circle. Bangladesh spinners have the Afghan batters on a leash.

Spin FTW!

With his bowlers not too much of a threat, Shakib Al Hasan had to do the job himself

The fast bowlers have not been as effective so far, but the spinners have the Afghan batters in trouble. While Shakib Al Hasan struck twice, Mehidy at the other end has kept things steady. After four tight overs between 15 to 19, Shoriful was brought back into the attack, and Gurbaz immediately went after him. Hashmatullah Shahidi has really been pegged back by the Bangladesh bowlers. He is on 4 off 17. Will need to set things straight soon. Afghanistan: 96 for 2 after 20 overs

Two for captain Shakib!

Shakib Al Hasan sent back Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah

You just can’t keep him out of the game, can you! Just when a partnership was building nicely. Shakib tosses this one outside off as Rahmat Shah eyes the sweep. But the line is a bit outside off, which means he has to fetch for it. Rahmat can only get a top edge that spoons straight up with short cover making no mistake. Rahmat is livid with himself as he walks back. Shakib has both wickets so far. Is Shakib the best all-rounder in world cricket right now?

Gurbaz keeps things steady

Rahmanullah Gurbaz was solid at the top

Mustafizur Rahman has held up an excellent line and length, but the same can’t be said about Shoriful, who is looking all over the place. Gurbaz cuts him past point before hooking him to deep midwicket for two more. Mehidy Hasan Miraz is introduced into the attack. Not much purchase for him in his first over. Afghanistan is 83 for 1 after 15 overs with drinks called.

High altitudes making the difference

The stunning HPCA stadium in Dharamsala

Matt Roller reports: “My main early observation from Dharamsala is that the ball really does travel differently at high altitude. This venue is nearly 1,500 meters above sea level with the Himalayas in the backdrop, and the ball flies once it’s in the air – Gurbaz’s six off Mustafizur looked like little more than a checked on-drive, while Zadran’s dismissal didn’t look as though it would carry to deep backward square leg off the bat but did comfortably. The flags to my left are being battered about by a cross-wind, and the boundaries here are on the small side too. Neither side has had much opportunity to train since arriving here, and it may be that this game is decided by who adapts best to conditions.”

Dial Shakib for a wicket!

Shakib Al Hasan got the first breakthrough for Bangladesh

Rahmanullah Gurbaz skips down the track and pummels Mustafizur Rahman for a six over long-on. That does not please the fast bowler, who sends down a spearing bouncer that thuds into Gurbaz’s right shoulder. There was a bit of a glove as well, with the ball lobbing towards the keeper, but Mushfiqur couldn’t reach the ball. The very next over, Shakib strikes as he so often does. Ibrahim shapes up for a sweep but Shakib lands it slower and outside off. Ibrahim fails to keep his sweep down with the top edge carrying all the way to deep square leg. Huge blow to Afghanistan. Afghanistan: 48 for 1 after 9 overs.

Ibrahim – Afghanistan‘s rock at the top

Debut World Cup game? No problem says Ibrahim Zadran

Ibrahim Zadran has been Afghanistan’s rock at the top of the order. He tops the run-charts for Afghanistan in ODIs since January 2022 with 925 runs in 19 innings at 57.81. In his debut ODI World Cup game, Ibrahim is showing no signs of nerves. Starts off with a cracking drive past point off Taskin before lacing a cover drive off Shoriful. Taskin then tries a short ball, but Ibrahim says no problem as he sends a pull soaring over the deep backward square leg fence. As a result, Shakib Al Hasan had to come in early, in the seventh over, but even he was met with a punchy drive from Ibrahim. Afghanistan is off to a flying start. Afghanistan: 39 for 0 after 7 overs.

All set then!

The two Afghanistan openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are out in the middle

Taskin Ahmed with the new ball. Two slips in place. Will he get some swing? He does, but hasn’t troubled Gurbaz as yet. He gets a flourishing cover-point going his way, but the outfield isn’t that quick. Gets three to get off the mark. Taskin comes back with a beauty squaring Gurbaz up. Afghanistan 3-0 after the first over.

Rashid Khan – Afghanistan‘s global superstar

National anthems time

Afghanistan‘s first, followed by Bangladesh. A few Afghan supporters in the stands as well, but have comfortably been outnumbered by the Bangladesh fans.

Good toss to win for Bangladesh?

There is likely to be some nip in the air for the fast bowlers first up. Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Mustafizur Rahman will in all likelihood get some purchase which they will want to extract. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, and Rahmat Shah’s roles become doubly important now. They have been the cornerstone of the Afghan batting unit for the last two years and will be tested early.