It was the 20th over of Afghanistan’s innings, with the team struggling at 107 for 5.Rashid Khan, known for his aggressive batting style, attempted a helicopter shot off Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Instead of finding the mid-wicket boundary, he got a leading edge that sent the ball looping over the covers.
Spotting an opportunity to add pressure to the fielders, Rashid sprinted for a second run. However, his partner Karim Janat, who had already settled at the striker’s end, decisively sent him back.
Frustrated by the missed chance, Rashid threw his bat in anger towards Janat, an act that left spectators stunned. Janat, trying to diffuse the situation, approached Rashid for a chat, but the captain was visibly disinterested and walked away, still fuming.
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Their Afghanistan batting lineup struggled to build momentum, with the top order failing to capitalize on starts. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the top scorer with 43 off 55 balls, but his efforts were overshadowed by a low strike rate.
Ibrahim Zadran and Azmatullah Omarzai couldn’t contribute much, while Gulbadin Naib and Mohammad Nabi fell cheaply.
Karim Janat, despite the confrontation, managed to score a valuable 7 off 6 balls, while Rashid Khan remained unbeaten on 19 off 10, showcasing his ability to accelerate in the death overs.
Their efforts, however, were hampered by disciplined bowling from Bangladesh. Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, and Rishad Hossain kept the Afghan batsmen in check, with Rishad claiming three crucial wickets.
The powerplay didn’t go in Afghanistan’s favour, scoring only 27 runs in the first six overs. With a total of 115 for 5 in 20 overs, Afghanistan’s hopes rested on their bowlers to defend the modest target.
Source Agencies
