Afghanistan Demolishes Bangladesh With A Commanding Victory Take 2-0 Lead In Series

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In a thrilling cricket encounter, Afghanistan emerged victorious over Bangladesh, dominating both with the bat and the ball. The match, held at a packed stadium, witnessed an extraordinary display of skill and determination from Afghanistan, leaving the home crowd disappointed. With an impressive total of 331 runs on the board, Afghanistan sealed their victory, restricting Bangladesh to a mere 189 runs.

Afghanistan secure a massive win and with it an unassailable 2-0 lead against Bangladesh in the ODI series _#BANvAFG | https://t.co/mvFeGdwCsz pic.twitter.com/v4FRjgI3sF

— ICC (@ICC) July 8, 2023

Winning the toss, Afghanistan elected to bat first, a decision that proved to be fruitful for them. Opening the innings, Rahmanullah Gurbaz displayed his exceptional batting prowess, launching a blistering attack on the Bangladeshi bowlers. He hammered the ball to all corners of the ground, smashing 13 boundaries and 8 towering sixes. His aggressive knock of 145 runs off just 125 deliveries set the tone for Afghanistan's innings.

Gurbaz found a reliable partner in Ibrahim Zadran, who also showcased his batting skills with a well-constructed century. Zadran's elegant stroke play, coupled with his ability to rotate the strike, helped Afghanistan maintain a steady flow of runs. He scored 100 runs off 119 balls, including 9 boundaries and a six.

However, Bangladesh managed to break the partnership when Mustafizur Rahman claimed the wicket of Zadran, caught by Najmul Hossain Shanto. Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi departed quickly, but Mohammad Nabi played a valuable cameo, smashing 25 runs off just 15 deliveries, including a boundary and a six. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Afghanistan managed to reach a formidable total of 331 runs for the loss of 9 wickets.

In pursuit of the challenging target, Bangladesh suffered an early setback as Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed Mohammad Naim for just 9 runs. Litton Das and Najmul Hossain Shanto followed suit, falling victim to the lethal bowling of Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, respectively. Bangladesh struggled to find their rhythm as wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.

Mushfiqur Rahim emerged as the lone warrior for Bangladesh, displaying his class and resilience. Rahim fought valiantly, scoring a well-earned 69 runs off 85 balls, including 6 boundaries. However, his efforts went in vain as the Afghanistan bowlers were relentless in their pursuit of wickets. Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman wreaked havoc, claiming 2 wickets each, while Farooqi ended the match with impressive figures of 3 wickets for just 22 runs.

Despite a few resistance efforts from Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who scored 25 and 25 runs respectively, Bangladesh's batting line-up crumbled under the pressure exerted by the disciplined Afghan bowling attack. Eventually, Bangladesh were bundled out for 189 runs, falling short of the target by a significant margin.

Afghanistan's victory was a result of their exceptional team performance, with both their batsmen and bowlers firing on all cylinders. The Afghanistan batting lineup, led by Gurbaz and Zadran, displayed tremendous power and finesse, while the bowlers, spearheaded by Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, executed their plans to perfection.