Afghanistan fall short of ‘easily chaseable’ target

Afghanistan may have been celebrating loudly in front of a quiet crowd at the Shere Bangla National Stadium had they not panicked at the wrong moment. Instead it was Bangladesh who walked off with a seven-run win, thankful for their bowlers delivering some really good overs at the end.

The moment that first changed the momentum of the chase came in the 41st over, when the settled Rahmat Shah came down the pitch in search of a bit shot but was stumped easily off Shakib Al Hasan. Afghanistan were still very much in the game but the 144-run third-wicket stand was broken, offering the hosts an opening. The other set batsman, Hashmatullah Shahidi, then holed out in the 44th over, and it felt like it was up to Mohammad Nabi to finish off the game. But he was deceived by Taskin Ahmed’s slower ball with Afghanistan still needing 23 off 14 balls.

Bangladesh closed it out very well, with Rubel and Taskin bowling fast yorkers that left the batsmen with little room to swing. Najibullah …

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