SHARJAH: Najibullah Zadran attacked the resistance assault with six sixes to lead Afghanistan into the Asia Cup Super 4 phase with a devastating seven-wicket prevail upon Bangladesh here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Pursuing an unassuming looking 128 for triumph, Afghanistan were in a difficult situation at 62-3 when Najibullah (43) joined Ibrahim Zadran (42) for an unbeaten stand of 69 as they won by nine balls in excess.
Cutting edge spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan took three wickets each to set up triumph as Afghanistan limited the resistance to 127-7 after Bangladesh chose for bat first.
Afghanistan, drove by Mohammad Nabi, enrolled their second consecutive triumph to turn into the first of the six groups to enter the following phase of the opposition, which goes about as a check up to the T20 World Cup in October-November.
Afghanistan lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 11 when captain Shakib Al Hasan, playing his 100th T20 International, got the opener befuddled with his left-arm turn.
Mosaddek Hossain got Hazratullah Zazai out for 23 with his off turn as Afghanistan appeared to fail to keep a grip on their pursuit with runs rare.
They were inconvenience when captain Mohammad Nabi withdrew in the thirteenth over and Bangladesh allies, who plainly dwarfed the Afghans, got it started.
Be that as it may, the left-given Najibullah coordinated the pursuit flawlessly as he got done with a whirlwind of sixes and one four in his 17-ball barrage.
The innings put Ibrahim’s thump in conceal as he hit four fours in his 41-ball stay.
Prior Mujeeb, a spinner who can turn the ball the two different ways, imparted the new ball to left-arm speedy Fazalhaq Farooqi and struck in every one of his initial three overs, including the critical wicket of Shakib for 11.
Rashid, a leg-spinner, combined efforts with Mujeeb after six overs of powerplay — when just two defenders are permitted external the internal circle — to send back wicket-manager/hitter Mushfiqur Rahim caught lbw for one.
Mushfiqur neglected to pick an eminent Rashid googly which the umpire gave not out just for Afghanistan to survey the choice in support of themselves effectively.
Afif Hossain and Mahmudullah Riyad endeavored to revamp however Rashid got through with an another googly that caught the left-given Afif lbw. He made 12.
Once more, rashid struck and cut off Mahmudullah’s visit on 25 as the batsman top-edged a shot to profound mid-wicket.
Mosaddek Hossain then, at that point, took on the bowlers to crush four limits and a six in his late rush of 48, yet Afghanistan wrapped up by offering only seven runs in the last over that incorporated a run out.
