DHAKA: Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi plays a shot during the second ODI against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.—AFP
DHAKA: Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi plays a shot during the second ODI against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.—AFP

DHAKA: Afghanistan skipper Asghar Stanikzai scored a fighting half-century as his side shocked Bangladesh by claiming a two-wicket victory in the second One-day International to level the three-match series 1-1 here at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday.

Bowlers set up the win for Afghanistan as leg-spinner Rashid Khan took 3-35 and Mohammad Nabi claimed 2-16 to help the visitors dismiss Bangladesh for a modest 208 runs on a slow pitch.

Man-of-the-match Nabi showed his all-round skill scoring 49 runs and putting on 107 runs with Stanikzai in the fifth wicket as Afghanistan recovered from 63-4 to reach 212-8, completing their second win against Bangladesh in four meetings.

Stanikzai hit four fours and two sixes in his 95 balls to atone for some of his causal batting in the opening match, which saw Afghanistan lose by seven runs despite dominating Bangladeshi bowlers for a long period.

Defending a modest score, Shakib Al Hasan gave Bangladesh some hope with three early wickets before finishing with 4-47, but Nabi and Stanikzai stood firm to put Afghanistan in a strong position.

Mashrafe Mortaza trapped Nabi leg-before to end their partnership before debutant Mosaddek Hossain, who claimed 2-30, including one off his first ball, removed Stanikzai.

But Najibullah Zadran made 22 and other lower-order batsmen gave him valuable support to seeAfghanistan home, setting the third and final match on Oct 1 as the series decider.

Stanikzai hailed his bowlers for their brilliant effort.

“This match, the credit goes to the team. Nabi and Rashid bowled really well,” he said. “The ball reversed in the end, but Najib did it for us.”

Earlier, Bangladesh could only pass the 200-run mark owing to an unbeaten 45 runs of Mosaddek, who shared a 43-run partnership with Rubel Hossain for the last wicket.

Put into bat first, Bangladesh, who were looking for their 100th ODI win and to wrap up the series after winning Sunday’s first match by a narrow seven runs, made a cautious start with the opening pair fetching 45 runs.

Mirwais Ashraf, who claimed 2-23, removed both the openers Tamim Iqbal (20) and Soumya Sarkar (20) before Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad revived the innings, adding 61 runs for the third wicket.

Afghan spinners took control of the proceedings once Naveen-ul-Haq bowled Mahmudullah for 25.

Rahim, who scored 38, soon followed Mahmudullah attempting his favourite slow-sweep as Naveen-ul Haq took the catch at deep square leg off leg-spinner Shah.

Nabi trapped Shakib Al Hasan lbw for 17 before Rashid worked out the lower order.

Bangladesh captain Mortaza lamented their poor batting.

“Our batting wasn’t up to the mark. The wicket was on the slow side, and after getting 20-30 runs, somebody should have made a good score,” he said.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH:

Tamim Iqbal c Dawlat b Ashraf 20

Soumya Sarkar c Hashmatullah b Ashraf 20

Mahmudullah Riyad b Naveen-ul-Haq 25

Mushfiqur Rahim c Naveen-ul-Haq b Shah 38

Shakib Al Hasan lbw b Nabi 17

Sabbir Rahman lbw b Rashid 4

Mosaddek Hossain not out 45

Mashrafe Mortaza c Dawlat b Nabi 2

Taijul Islam lbw b Rashid Khan 10

Taskin Ahmed lbw b Rashid Khan 0

Rubel Hossain run out 10

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-7, W-8, NB-1) 17

TOTAL (all out, 49.2 overs) 208

FALL OF WKTS: 1-45, 2-50, 3-111, 4-122, 5-138, 6-138, 7-141, 8-165, 9-165.

BOWLING: Nabi 10-3-16-2; Dawlat 8-1-47-0 (4w); Ashraf 5-0-23-2; Naveen-ul-Haq 8.2-0-49-1 (1w); Rashid 10-2-35-3 (1w); Shah 8-0-30-1 (1nb1, 2w).

AFGHANISTAN:

Mohammad Shahzad c Taskin b Shakib 35

Nawroz Mangal c Taijul b Shakib 10

Rahmat Shah lbw b Shakib 0

Hashmatullah Shahidi lbw b Mosaddek 14

Asghar Stanikzai c Sabbir b Mosaddek 57

Mohammad Nabi lbw b Mortaza 49

Najibullah Zadran c Mosaddek b Taskin 22

Rashid Khan lbw b Shakib 5

Mirwais Ashraf not out 9

Dawlat Zadran not out 4

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-5) 7

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 49.4 overs) 212

FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-14, 3-59, 4-63, 5-170, 6-174, 7-189, 8-208.

DID NOT BAT: Naveen-ul-Haq.

BOWLING: Mortaza 10-0-31-1 (2w); Shakib 10-0-47-4; Taskin 4.4-0-32-1 (2w); Taijul 10-0-38-0; Mosaddek 10-1-30-2 (1w); Sabbir 2-0-8-0; Rubel 3-0-24-0.

RESULT: Afghanistan won by two wickets.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan)

SERIES: Three-match series levelled 1-1.

UMPIRES: Shamshuddin Chettithody (India) and Anisur Rahman (Bangladesh)

TV UMPIRE: Masudur Rahman (Bangladesh)

MATCH REFEREE: Richie Richardson (West Indies)

Published in Dawn September 29th, 2016

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