Bangladesh end losing streak in T20 Internationals
Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed and batsman Liton Das helped Bangladesh halt an eight-match losing streak in T20Is with a resounding 61-run win over Afghanistan in Dhaka on Thursday.
Bangladesh win 🙌
They beat Afghanistan by 61 runs in the first T20I to take a 1-0 series lead 💪 #BANvAFG pic.twitter.com/Ll8dBM25d1
— ICC (@ICC) March 3, 2022
Nasum returned with career-best figures of 4 for 10 as Bangladesh bowled out Afghanistan for 94 runs in 17.4 overs after Liton’s 60 off 44 balls guided the side to 155-8 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
The win ended Bangladesh’s long streak of defeats in T20Is starting from the T0 World Cup in Oman and the UAE last year and gave the side a 1-0 lead in a two-match series.
Nasum picked up four wickets in his only spell, opening the bowling for Bangladesh to give the hosts a firm grip on the game as they reduced Afghanistan to 20 for 4 inside five overs.
Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi have done a splendid job to rebuild the innings after the initial collapse 👏
At the halfway mark, they are still 103 runs away from victory with six wickets in hand.#BANvAFG pic.twitter.com/HgWVJBs1sd
— ICC (@ICC) March 3, 2022
Najibullah Zadran and skipper Mohammad Nabi briefly stopped the rot with a 37-run fifth-wicket stand before Shakib Al Hasan dismissed both.
Zadran, dropped on four by wicketkeeper Liton, made 27 off 26 balls. Azmatullah Omarzai staged a late fightback to score 20 off 18 balls but it was not enough.
Earlier, left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi and leg-spinner Rashid Khan struck early to reduce Bangladesh to 25 for 2 after Mahmudullah opted to bat first.
Afghanistan start and finish well to restrict Bangladesh to 155/8 👊
Liton Das was the lone warrior for the hosts with a brilliant 60 off 44.
Who will take the series lead? 👀#BANvAFG pic.twitter.com/9zdhjbDZsi
— ICC (@ICC) March 3, 2022
But Liton hit four fours and two sixes to ensure the home side made steady progress.
Afif Hossain made 25 off 24 balls and shared 46 runs with Liton for the fifth wicket.
The second match of the series will be held at the same ground on Saturday.