Afghanistan seal historic series win

Twin tons from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran followed by a solid bowling effort ensured that Afghanistan won their first-ever ODI series against Bangladesh, thumping the Tigers by 142 runs at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram yesterday with a match still to play.

The drama of the past few days that ended with regular skipper Tamim Iqbal withdrawing his retirement had stolen the focus from the series and Bangladesh conjured a lacklustre display in the second ODI against Afghanistan, lacking the impetus to thwart a reinvigorated Afghanistan side.

The Chattogram wicket was tailor-made for batting, but skipper Liton Das opted to bowl, perhaps feeling that the surface would get better for batting in the evening as the ball had come on to the bat a lot better in the second innings of the first ODI.

Afghan openers Gurbaz and Zadran played with the kind of solidity and controlled aggression that quickly raised question marks about the Tigers' plans. Gurbaz was the early aggressor as he took the Tigers' attack to the cleaners, reaching his ton in the 28th over. The duo strung together a 256-run stand --Afghanistan's highest partnership for any wicket in ODIs -- before Gurbaz departed to Shakib Al Hasan, out leg-before after a 125-ball 145 laced with 13 fours and eight sixes.

Afghanistan allowed Bangladesh to get a foot in the door as Ebadot Hossain got Rahmat Shah before Mehedi Hasan Miraz struck twice. Zadran too fell after completing his ton and a flurry of wickets in the death overs saw Afghanistan reach 331 for nine in fifty overs.

Bangladesh could not pressure the Afghan openers during the first 30 overs and the 33 extras given away by the hosts showed the indiscipline in their bowling effort.

With the bat, Bangladesh's chase unravelled pretty quickly as they felt the pressure of a 300-plus chase. Liton and Mohammad Naim both fell to Fazalhaq Farooqi while Najmul Hossain Shanto fell prey to Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Towhid Hridoy struggle to pick the Afghan spinners before being bamboozled by a Rashid Khan googly, out for 16. Eight deliveries later, Shakib's fight ended, falling leg-before to Mohammad Nabi after scoring 25. Afif Hossain immediately followed suit, out for a first-ball duck to Rashid next over, leaving Bangladesh tottering at 72 for six.

Mushfiqur Rahim showed there were no demons on the pitch during a battling 69. He and Mehedi strung together an 87-run seventh-wicket stand with Mehedi (25) but ran out of partners as Bangladesh finished on 189 for nine with Ebadot unable to bat due to a muscle strain.