Shakib, Taskin star in tense Bangladesh win

Bangladesh 265 (Tamim 80, Mahmudullah 62, Shakib 48, Dawlat 4-73, Rashid 2-37, Nabi 2-40) beat Afghanistan 258 (Hashmatullah 72, Shahidi 71, Shakib 2-26, Mashrafe 2-42, Taskin 2-55) by seven runs Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Bangladesh were given a mighty scare but they somehow managed to fend Afghanistan’s challenge to win by seven runs in a tense first ODI in Mirpur. The 1-0 lead was possible through fine slog-overs bowling from Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain, who picked up seven wickets between them.

Afghanistan were cruising at 190 for 2, with Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi driving Afghanistan’s chase in a 144-run third-wicket stand. Once that was broken, with Shakib having Rahmat stumped to become the country’s highest ODI wicket-taker, things somehow fell apart from the visitors.

With 28 runs needed off 24 balls, Shakib kept the game within Bangladesh’s reach through a tight one-run over. Taskin followed it up with a two-wicket over, including the important wicket of Mohammad Nabi, who had made 30 off 24 balls, with a slower ball. Rubel then gave away eight runs and removed Rashid Khan off the last ball off the next over.

It boiled down to 13 off the final over, bowled by Taskin who dealt another blow by removing Mirwais Ashraf with a full delivery off the second ball. He then took his fourth wicket to finish a hard-fought win that could have belonged to Afghanistan had they kept their cool in the last thirty minutes.

But Bangladesh could have posted much more than 265 had they not imploded in the middle overs; they lost their last seven wickets for 62. Mahmudullah’s slog sweep that was caught at deep square-leg triggered

Mushfiqur …

continue reading in source www.espncricinfo.com