Afghans punish sloppy Tigers to finish T20I series 1-1

A dismal batting performance followed by dropped catches cost Bangladesh’s eight-wicket defeat to Afghanistan in the second and final T20 game at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The Afghans leveled the series 1-1 and also denied Bangladesh a T20 whitewash, which was on the cards. Afghanistan similarly avoided a clean sweep in the three-match ODI series earlier by winning the third game.

Opener Hazratullah Zazai struck an unbeaten 59 off 45 and shared a 99-run partnership with Usman Ghani for the second wicket to help Afghanistan race to the victory with 14 balls to spare after Bangladesh put up 115-9.

Both teams lined up before the start of play and observed a minute’s silence in memory of Australian legend Shane Warne and Rodney Marsh.

Usman Ghani who survived twice on 39 and 41, scored 47 off 48 with five fours and one six.

Zazai and Ghani’s match-defining partnership came after Afghanistan lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 3.

Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim, playing his 100th T20 game as only the second Bangladesh player after captain Mahmudullah Riyad, top-scored for the side with 30.

Riyad however made 21 and in the process became the first Bangladeshi batter to go past the 2000-run mark in this format.

Only two other Bangladeshi batters -Liton Das and Naim Sheikh could reach double digits in this match, making an identical 13.

Pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Azmatullah Omarzai were the wrecker-in-chief, claiming three-wicket apiece, conceding just 18 and 22 runs respectively.

Afghanistan lost the first T20 match by 61 runs.

ARR