Bangladesh’s vulnerable batting once again let them down as they endured a crushing seven-wicket defeat to Afghanistan, which ended their hopes to reach the tri-nation ODI series final.
Needing a victory by a margin of more than 40 runs to reach the final on net-run-rate, Bangladesh were bowled out for a meager 160 runs in 41.2 overs after opting to bat first at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium today.
Led by skipper Rahmat Shah’s astute 67 not out, Afghanistan chased down the target in 35.3 overs, reaching 161-3 to seal their place in the final where they take on Zimbabwe on Friday. The Afghans earlier humiliated Zimbabwe by 158 runs in group phase.
Before suffering defeat to Afghanistan, Bangladesh tasted a 99-run drubbing at the hands of Zimbabwe.
Parvez Hossain Emon fought lonely to hit a career-best 70 to guide Bangladesh past 150 plus total which looked unlikely after a shaky start.
Legspinner Rashid Khan caused the most damage by claiming 4-31 but before his entry into the stage, Bangladesh lost half of the batting order by playing wayward cricket.
Pacer Yamin Ahmedzai dealt a double in just second over of the innings, dismissing opener Taznid Hasan Tamim for 1 and Soumya Sarkar for a duck in consecutive deliveries after Bangladesh captain Towhid Hridoy opted to bat first.
Both of the top order batters played loose shots to dig their own graveyards.
To make matters worse further, Azmatullah Omarzai got rid of Najmul Hossain Shanto (15) and Hridoy for duck in three balls, leaving Bangladesh at a precarious 28-4 in seventh over.
Emon who replaced injured Liton in the squad to play his first ODI in more than one year tried to steady the innings alongside opener Saif Hassan who was watchful amid the top order’s reckless show.
Together they batted with patience to mount a comeback but Saif too played a rash shot against Mohammad Nabi to be out for 41, ending a 93-run fifth wicket partnership.
Emon meanwhile reached his second fifty in fourth ODI and looked set to make it bigger.
However, Rashid Khan sparked a collapse, including the wicket of Emon who smacked five fours and two sixes in his fighting knock as Bangladesh lost last five wickets for 39 runs.
Despite the modest total, Bangladesh had a narrow mathematical chance of defending it by dismissing Afghanistan for fewer than 119 runs.
Taskin Ahmed briefly raised hopes by producing two incisive deliveries, dismissing opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6) with a sharp inswinger before removing Sediqullah Atal (4) with another aggressive delivery to reduce Afghanistan to 39-2 in the seventh over.
However, Bangladesh failed to build on the early breakthroughs as Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam struggled to make an impact.
Aliss Al Islam, popularly called as mystery spinner in the domestic circuit who made his ODI debut, also went through a difficult outing by going wicket-less in his 8.3 overs spell that cost 47 runs.
Afghanistan captain Rahmat Shah guided his side towards victory with two useful partnerships-56 with Ibrahim Zadran who made 34 and 66 with Hashmatullah Shahidi, unbeaten on 36, to steer the side to victory.
Taskin ended with 2-36 while Mustafizur took 1-32.