Jaker finishes off the innings in style, Bangladesh post 252 on the board

After a promising start, Bangladesh’s batting once again faltered in the second ODI against Afghanistan, as the middle order failed to capitalize on the solid foundation laid by the top order. In a disappointing follow-up to their previous match, where they scored just two, Mahmudullah Riyad managed only 3 runs today. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored for Bangladesh, while debutant Jaker Ali Anik made a valuable contribution with the bat.

Bangladesh, after losing four wickets for 183 runs in the 40th over, saw Shanto and Mahmudullah Riyad fall in the next over, leaving the team in a precarious position. However, a crucial 46-run partnership between Jaker Ali Anik and Nasum Ahmed helped the team pass the 200-run mark, finishing with a total of 252/7 in 50 overs.

A Crucial Battle for the Series After Losing the First ODI

Having lost the first ODI, Bangladesh now faces a must-win situation in the second game to stay alive in the series. Due to an injury, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim was ruled out, and in his place, Zakir Ali Anik stepped in as the wicketkeeper for his debut. After impressing in T20Is and Tests, Zakir now made his mark in the 50-over format as well.

Winning the toss, Bangladesh opted to bat first at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Soumya Sarkar provided a strong start, but Afghanistan's Allah Mohammad Gazanfar, who took six wickets in the previous match, soon struck by dismissing Tamim with a catch to Mohammad Nabi.

Tanzid scored 22 runs off 17 balls before being dismissed. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto then formed a solid partnership with Soumya Sarkar. By the end of the powerplay (10 overs), Bangladesh had scored 59 runs. However, the partnership was broken at 99 runs when Rashid Khan trapped Soumya in front with a leg-before wicket (LBW) decision. A review could have saved Soumya, as the TV replay showed the ball was pitched outside the leg stump, but neither the umpire nor Shanto seemed to notice.

As in the first match, Shanto steadied the innings by forming another crucial partnership, first with Soumya and later with Mehedi Hasan Miraz. Shanto reached his ninth ODI half-century off 75 balls. Meanwhile, Miraz, who had been struggling for boundaries, was eventually bowled out by Rashid Khan for 22 runs, ending the 53-run partnership.

Middle Order Failure and Late Resilience from Shanto and Zakir Ali Anik

Bangladesh's middle order continued to struggle, with Taohid Hridoy failing again. After scoring just 11 runs in the previous game, Hridoy attempted a slog sweep off Nangiayal Kharoti, only to be caught. Bangladesh lost their fourth wicket at 174 runs.

Shanto, now on 71 runs, paired up with Mahmudullah Riyad to steady the ship. But just as the duo seemed to be building a recovery, Shanto fell for 76 runs, trapped by Nangiayal Kharoti. He faced 119 balls, scoring 6 fours and 1 six. Trying to clear the long-off boundary, he was caught easily by Mohammad Nabi.

Riyad, after facing just 9 balls, fell for a mere 3 runs, leaving Bangladesh in deep trouble. Kharoti struck twice in quick succession, leaving Bangladesh at 197/7, in serious danger of collapsing further.

In the final overs, Zakir Ali Anik, along with Nasum Ahmed, pushed Bangladesh’s total past 200 runs, and the team finished with 252/7. Despite the late resistance, Bangladesh's middle order collapse left them with much to ponder ahead of the third ODI, which will now be a do-or-die match to avoid losing the series.