Hridoy, Shamim help Tigers to victory against Afghanistan

Mainul Islam

July 14, 2023

1.7 minutes

81

Author:

Mainul Islam

81

Hridoy, Shamim help Tigers to victory against Afghanistan

In a gripping contest at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain showcased their talent to guide Bangladesh to a hard-fought five-wicket win over Afghanistan in the first T20I of the two-match series.

The duo displayed maturity and resilience during their crucial partnership of 73 runs, successfully chasing down the target of 154 runs. Hridoy remained unbeaten on a brilliant 47 off just 32 balls, while Shamim provided valuable support with his 33 runs off 25 deliveries.

Bangladesh faced an early setback when opener Rony Talukdar departed in the very first over of the innings after scoring only four runs from five balls. Despite the early setback, the Tigers managed to recover and reach 37 runs for the loss of two wickets by the end of the powerplay.

Najmul Hossain Shanto, batting at number three, couldn’t convert his start and fell victim to Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Shanto’s unfortunate dismissal occurred when the ball deflected off his upper body onto the stumps as he attempted a sweep shot, resulting in a score of 14 runs from 12 balls.

Liton Das, who contributed 18 runs from 19 balls, was dismissed shortly after the powerplay when he mistimed a short delivery from pacer Azmatullah Omarzai, resulting in a catch for Rashid Khan at short mid-wicket.

Captain Shakib Al Hasan couldn’t capitalize on his promising start and was dismissed for 19 runs off 17 balls, slashing a wide delivery from pacer Fareed Ahmad straight to deep point. This dismissal occurred immediately after the drinks break.

However, the fifth-wicket partnership between Hridoy and Shamim proved to be the turning point, bringing the Tigers closer to victory. Unfortunately, Shamim fell to Rashid Khan in the 18th over while attempting an aggressive shot.

With only five runs required in the final over, Bangladesh faced a nervy situation as they lost three wickets in three balls, including a hat-trick by pacer Karim Janat. Amidst the tension, Shoriful Islam kept his composure and struck a boundary through point to secure a thrilling victory for Bangladesh.

Last Updated: Jul 14, 2023