My wicket made the difference: Najmul Shanto

Despite the format, Bangladesh's batting struggles remain persistent. After losing their third wicket at 120, Bangladesh quickly collapsed, losing their last seven wickets for only 23 more runs, leading to a humbling 92-run defeat. However, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto remains hopeful about bouncing back. Following the match, he attributed the loss to his own dismissal, as he was out for 47 while approaching a half-century. His departure led to a complete breakdown in Bangladesh’s batting lineup.

Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz all seemed settled at the crease but couldn't build their innings. Soumya departed for 33 after a strong start, and after a 55-run partnership with Miraz, Shanto was dismissed for 47. Soon after, Miraz followed, scoring 28.

Expressing disappointment over the inability to capitalize on good starts, Shanto said during the post-match presentation, "My wicket made all the difference today. I was a set batter, as were Miraz and Soumya, scoring 30-40 runs each. In these conditions, you need to bat for longer."

Afghan spinner Allah Ghazanfar was instrumental in dismantling Bangladesh’s batting lineup, claiming six wickets for just 26 runs and earning the Player of the Match title. On Ghazanfar’s performance, Shanto said, "Afghanistan always has mystery spinners, and Ghazanfar bowled really well."

Bangladesh started well in bowling, but Mohammad Nabi's excellent batting made it hard to maintain control. Reflecting on this, Shanto noted, "We bowled really well in the first 15-20 overs but failed to execute our plans in the middle overs. Nabi batted brilliantly."

Looking ahead, Shanto remains optimistic about a comeback in the next game, saying, "Preparation was great, but today wasn't our day. Hopefully, we can come back stronger in the next match."