Dhaka, Sept 21 (UNB) – Riding on the half century by Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh beat Afghanistan in a T20I after a long wait of five and half years at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Saturday. 

The Tigers last beat Afghanistan in a World T20 match on March 16, 2014 by nine wickets in Dhaka.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first in the match. They wrapped up Afghanistan for 138 for seven in 20 overs. 

In reply, Bangladesh lost some early wickets but Shakib kept going and ensured a win by four wickets with one over to play (139 for six in 19 overs). 

With this win, Afghanistan suffered to back-to-back defeats in the ongoing Tri-series T20I. In the previous game against Zimbabwe, they suffered a defeat by seven wickets. 

Bangladesh started chasing on a very slow manner as Liton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto failed to deliver what they needed to do. But both of them disappointed. While Liton fell for four off 10 and Shanto scored only five off eight deliveries. 

However, in the third wicket stand, Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim added 58 runs which laid the foundation for the Tigers. 

But after Mushfiqur’s dismissal on 26 off 25, Bangladesh lost Mahmudullah Riyad, Sabbir Rahman and Afif Hossain in quick succession, which made Bangladeshi spectators panicked at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. 

Rashid Khan, the Afghan captain, picked up a hamstring injury before starting his bowling. Despite that blow, he came to bowl and bagged two wickets removing Mahmudullah and Afif. 

But Shakib was there and Mosaddek Hossain accompanied Shakib very well. They scored 18 runs off the 18th over of Rashid with two fours and one big six. 

Eventually, Bangladesh ended the game with six balls to play. Shakib remained unbeaten on 70 off 45 balls while Mosaddek remained unbeaten on 19 off 12. 

For Afghanistan, debutant Naveen-ul-Haq and Rashid bagged two wickets each. 

Earlier, Afghanistan posted 138 for 7 in 20 overs in their last league match of the Tri-Nation T20 Series.

Afghanistan managed a decent start as their two openers posted 75 runs in the first wicket stand in 9.3 overs. But while going to 100 from 75, they lost five wickets, which eventually prevented them from posting a big total. 

In the second over of the innings, Mahmudullah Riyad missed an easy catch off Shafiul Islam ball, and thus Bangladesh missed the chance of an early breakthrough.

Coming to bowl in the 10th over, Afif Hossain bagged two wickets removing Hazratullah Zazai and Asghar Afghan. Zazai posted 47 off 35, Asghar suffered a duck. 

Afif did not spend any run in his first over and took two wickets. This imperious show of Afif put Afghanistan’s batting in immense pressure. 

One over later, Shakib Al Hasan removed Afghanistan’s most experienced batsman Mohamad Nabi for only four runs. 

At the end of 15 overs, Afghanistan were 107 for 5, and in the last five overs, they scored only 31 runs losing two more wickets. 

Zazai was the highest runs scorer for Afghanistan hitting 47 while his opening partner Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit 29.

For Bangladesh, Afif bagged two wickets, while Shakib, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shafiul Islam and Mustafiuzr Rahman took one wicket each. 

Both of Bangladesh and Afghanistan already reached the final of the event, which will be played on September 24 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.

These two teams will lock the horns in the final of the event on September 24 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
 

Dhaka, Sept 21 (UNB) - Afghanistan scored 138 for 7 in 20 overs in their last league match of the Tri-Nation T20 Series at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Saturday. 

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first. But they failed to execute the bowling plan in a better manner in the very beginning of the innings. 

Afghanistan managed a decent start as their two openers posted 75 runs in the first wicket stand in 9.3 overs. But while going to 100 from 75, they lost five wickets, which eventually prevented them from posting a big total. 

In the second over of the innings, Mahmudullah Riyad missed an easy catch off Shafiul Islam ball, and thus Bangladesh missed the chance of an early breakthrough.

Coming to bowl in the 10th over, Afif Hossain bagged two wickets removing Hazratullah Zazai and Asghar Afghan. Zazai posted 47 off 35, Asghar suffered a duck. 

Afif did not spend any run in his first over and took two wickets. This imperious show of Afif put Afghanistan’s batting in immense pressure. 

One over later, Shakib Al Hasan removed Afghanistan’s most experienced batsman Mohamad Nabi for only four runs. 

At the end of 15 overs, Afghanistan were 107 for 5, and in the last five overs, they scored only 31 runs losing two more wickets. 

Zazai was the highest runs scorer for Afghanistan hitting 47 while his opening partner Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit 29.

For Bangladesh, Afif bagged two wickets, while Shakib, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shafiul Islam and Mustafiuzr Rahman took one wicket each. 

Both of Bangladesh and Afghanistan already reached the final of the event, which will be played on September 24 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
 

Dhaka, Sept 21 (UNB) - In the last league-phase game of the ongoing Tri-series, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first against Afghanistan at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Saturday. 

Both of Bangladesh and Afghanistan have ensured a place in the final of September 24 as Zimbabwe finished the league-phase with only a win. 

Bangladesh are missing the service of Aminul Islam, the leg-spinner, who sustained an injury during his first game against Zimbabwe. To replace him, Sabbir Rahman returned to the playing XI. 

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Najmul Hossain Shanto, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan(c), Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Hazratullah Zazai, Shafiqullah Shafiq, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan(c), Asghar Afghan, Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Islamabad, Sep 21 (AP/UNB) — Pakistan on Saturday recalled all-rounders Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz for the three-match one-day international series against Sri Lanka that starts in Karachi next week.

Chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq also recalled three other players — Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Shinwari and Abid Ali — who were not part of Pakistan's World Cup squad.

The 29-year-old Iftikhar played just two ODIs against England in 2015 before being sidelined - mainly by the presence of all-rounders Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik in the team.

Malik retired from one-day internationals after the World Cup in July, while Hafeez has received permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board to skip the series to  play in the Caribbean Premier League.

Nawaz, who also bowls left-arm spin, has impressed selectors with his form in the domestic Pakistan Cup one-day tournament and has been recalled after a year.

Pakistan was forced to make two changes after fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali were ruled out due to illness and injury respectively. Afridi is down with dengue fever and Hasan is suffering from back spasms.

Opening batsman Fakhar Zaman has retained his place in the squad despite the left-hander's poor showing during the World Cup.

"No doubt his performance has gone down, but still his average is around 47 in ODIs," Misbah said of Fakhar.

"He's an impact player. He is such a player that if he plays 10 overs, you have a chance to win the match. Instead of wasting him, we should see how we can utilize him in the future."

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who scored two centuries against Australia in the United Arab Emirates, also returns after being ignored for the World Cup.

Misbah said captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and Rizwan have different roles and the latter could be in the playing eleven as a fielder.

"If someone has scored two hundreds at No. 4 you have to give him a chance," Misbah said.

"You have added advantage of having two wicketkeepers, fitness wise he is very good ... we are trying to encourage such players and we will try to give them matches whenever we have a chance."

Karachi will host the three ODIs on Sept. 27, Sept. 29 and Oct. 2.

The ODI series will be followed by three Twenty20s at Lahore between Oct. 5-9.

Pakistan squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Babar Azam, Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan Shinwari, Wahab Riaz.

Dhaka, Sept 20 (UNB) — Hamilton Masakadza’s star performance with the bat in his last international appearance helped Zimbabwe beat high-flying Afghanistan by seven wickets on Friday.

The match of the ongoing Tri-series T20 was played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. 

With this win, Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan in the shortest form of international cricket for the first time. In the previous eight games, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe. 

At the same time, this defeat also ended Afghanistan’s run of most consecutive wins in T20Is. They won 12 of their previous T20Is, which is the world record for winning most T20Is consecutively.

This match will be remembered as the last international game of Masakadza, who started playing for Zimbabwe back in 2001. Masakadza tried his best to make the occasion memorable by hitting his last fifty in international cricket. 

Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first. They put up 155 runs on the board for eight wickets in 20 overs. In reply, Zimbabwe ended on 156 for three in 19.3 overs and sealed the game by seven wickets. 

Zimbabwe had a decent first-wicket stand as Brendan Taylor and Masakdza added 40 runs in 4.6 overs. In the second wicket, Masakadza and Regis Chakabva posted 70 runs and this partnership brought Zimbabwe close to winning the game. 

But Masakadza fell for 71 and Chakabva followed him scoring 39. Sean Williams, the next captain of Zimbabwe, scored an unbeaten 21. 

For Afghanistan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman bagged two wickets while Dawlat Zadran took one. 

Earlier, Wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit his maiden T20Is fifty as Afghanistan posted 155. Afghans added 83 runs in the first wicket stand. Hazratullah Zazai, who has been struggling in the series, fell as the first man scoring 31 off 24.

Afghanistan continued losing wickets. They lost eight wickets while scoring the last 68 runs.

Rahmanullah was the best among the Afghan batsmen. He ended up scoring 61 off 47 with four fours and as many sixes. For Zimbabwe, pace bowler Chris Mpofu bagged four wickets conceding 30 runs, which is now his best bowling figure in T20 Internationals. 

Tinotenda Mutombodzi took two wickets. 

Zimbabwe are already out of the race for the final, which will be played on September 24 between Afghanistan and hosts Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Afghanistan will face Bangladesh on Saturday while Zimbabwe will come back to Dhaka before leaving Bangladesh.