Towhid Hridoy punches his fist after Shoriful Islam struck the winning runs in Bangladesh’s nerve-wracking two-wicket victory against Afghanistan in the first of the two-match T20I series at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium yesterday. Hridoy remained unbeaten on 47 as Bangladesh chased down the 155-run target with one ball to spare. Photo: Firoz Ahmed
Youngsters Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain, arguably two of the most inexperienced ones in the line-up, helped Bangladesh seal a tricky chase against a formidable Afghanistan bowling attack in a tight two-wicket win in front of a jam-packed Sylhet International Stadium yesterday.
Hridoy remained unbeaten on 47 off 32 as the Tigers got through despite late drama.
When skipper Shakib Al Hasan fell in the 11th over, the chase had appeared distant. By the time Shamim fell, skying Rashid Khan after a courageous 33 following a game-changing 73-run fifth-wicket stand off just 43 deliveries, he and Towhid showed composure of the required order against a quality attack.
Towhid showed the fire in his belly when he hit Fareed Ahmed for six over deep backward square in the 11th over, and the momentum began to shift. Hridoy went on to hit two fours and Shamim one as the duo took 17 off the 13th over bowled by Azmatullah Omarzai.
When needed, the duo held their nerves showing composure against Rashid. Hridoy showed the ability of keeping his head in tight circumstances and also quick hands, taking Afghanistan’s top pacer Fazalhaque Farooqi for 16 in the 17th over to bring the equation closer.
Despite the late drama when Karim Janat bagged a hattrick in the final over, Shoriful Islam got the winning runs in the penultimate delivery with a boundary, with Hridoy unbeaten on 47 at the other end.
Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers did a relatively good job during the first 15 overs of the Afghanistan innings, picking up four wickets while keeping the visitors from scoring at more than six per over.
Left-arm spinner struck the first blow, removing Hazratullah Zazai. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, however, was showing signs of unleashing his array of strokes. Gurbaz tried to go after Taskin Ahmed in the very next over but could not get pace on it as he found Mehedi Miraz, who took a low catch at square leg.
Afghanistan wanted to get things moving but when Ibrahim Zadran edged Shoriful Islam in the fifth over, the Tigers were on top. With the pressure on despite Mohammad Nabi’s fluent start at one end, Karim Janat departed skying Shakib in the eighth over, leaving Afghanistan four down for 52.
Shakib and his troops had kept things quiet while Nabi and Najibullah Zadran put on a 35-run stand for the fifth wicket. Najibullah departed to Mehedi after sharp work from Liton but Afghanistan turned things around in the last five overs.
60 runs were scored as Nabi launched into Taskin and Mustafizur Rahman in the last few overs. Azmatullah Omarzai got two sixes off Shakib during a rapid 33 off 18 deliveries before departing to Shakib. Nabi’s unbeaten 54 off 40 saw Afghanistan reach 154 for seven.
