Afghanistan have won the ODI series by 2-1 against Bangladesh

Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a match-winning knock, scoring a brilliant century, as Afghanistan comfortably chased down Bangladesh's total to win the third ODI and seal the series. Despite Mahmudullah Riyad's valiant 98 and Mehedi Hasan Miraz's 66, Bangladesh's total of 244 proved insufficient, as Afghanistan won by 5 wickets with 10 balls to spare.

Bangladesh's Batting Collapse and a Fightback

After opting to bat first, Bangladesh found themselves in trouble early. They were reduced to 58/3, with openers Soumya Sarkar and Tanzid Hasan Tamim both dismissed cheaply. The in-form Zakir Hasan also failed to contribute much. However, the experienced duo of Mahmudullah Riyad and Mehedi Hasan Miraz staged a recovery with a brilliant 145-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Mahmudullah, who had been struggling for form in the earlier games of the series, played a crucial role with an innings of 98 runs from 98 balls. His knock was characterized by solid stroke play and excellent running between the wickets. He was just two runs away from a century when he was run out on the last ball of the innings.

Miraz, in his first match as captain, also played a key role with the bat, contributing 66 runs from 106 balls. His partnership with Mahmudullah was the cornerstone of Bangladesh’s total of 244.

Afghanistan’s Steady Chase and Gurbaz’s Century

In reply, Afghanistan lost a couple of early wickets. Sediqullah Atal was dismissed cheaply, while Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi failed to build significant partnerships. However, Rahmanullah Gurbaz took charge, playing an attacking and match-defining innings. He scored 117 runs from 128 balls, including 5 fours and 7 sixes, steering Afghanistan toward the target with relative ease.

At the 188-run mark, Afghanistan lost Gurbaz, but by that time, the game was already tilted in their favor. Azmatullah Omarzai came in and ensured the chase was completed without further drama. He remained unbeaten on 70 from 77 balls, with 7 fours and 2 sixes, taking Afghanistan to victory. Alongside him, Mohammad Nabi contributed with a quick-fire 34 runs from 27 balls, finishing the game with a boundary.

Afghanistan Clinches the Series

With this win, Afghanistan clinched the series 2-1, marking their second consecutive series win over Bangladesh in ODIs. The defeat marks a bitter result for Bangladesh, who had already lost to Afghanistan in a 2-1 series loss in 2023 on home soil. Despite the individual brilliance of Mahmudullah Riyad and Mehedi Hasan Miraz, the team once again struggled to provide enough support in key moments, particularly in the bowling department.

Takeaways for Bangladesh

• Mahmudullah Riyad showed great resilience with his 98-run knock but was left ruing the missed century, especially considering he had to carry the batting after the early collapse.
• Mehedi Hasan Miraz, in his first match as captain, led from the front with both bat and leadership, but the lack of partnerships and wickets from the bowlers meant Bangladesh couldn’t defend their total.
• The Bangladeshi bowlers, including Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, and Tashkin Ahmed, couldn’t break Afghanistan’s key partnerships in the chase. Despite early breakthroughs, they failed to capitalize on the pressure built by the initial wickets.

Afghanistan’s Victory: A Complete Performance

• Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the standout performer with the bat, while Azmatullah Omarzai delivered an all-round performance, scoring 70 not out and taking 4 wickets earlier to help Afghanistan restrict Bangladesh to 244.
• Mohammad Nabi, the experienced all-rounder, played a crucial cameo in the end to seal the game for Afghanistan.

With this victory, Afghanistan not only wins the series but also sends a strong message about their ODI strength, showing that they are a growing force in world cricket. For Bangladesh, it’s back to the drawing board as they look to bounce back and address their batting inconsistency and middle-order fragility.