Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan with eight points in the 9th game of the Asia Cup 2025 in Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.
Afghanistan set up 155 and could score 140 before he was released at the last delivery of the innings and thus collapsed for their first defeat in the Eight Team Tournament.
Experienced opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz remained the top scorer with a cautious 35 of 31 deliveries, while Allrounders Azmatullah Omarzai (30) (30) and Rashid Khan (20) made remarkable contributions in the order with sturdy cameies.
Mustafizur Rahman led the bowling costs for Bangladesh with three wickets, while Rise Hossain, Nasum Ahmed and Taskin Ahmed assembled with two.
The decision of Bangladesh Captain Litton Das to hit the first fruit while the batting unit of his team yielded 154/5 in the 20 overs assigned.
The Tigers started with a flying start of their innings, with their opening couple Tanzid and Saif Hassan who put together a solid 63 before captain Rashid Khan Brak Brak at the third delivery of the seventh by dismissing the latter.
Saif remained a remarkable Run-Getter for Bangladesh and scored 30 out of 28 deliveries with the help of two four and a six.
The left -handed opener was then involved in two short partnerships when he added 24 and 17 runs with Litton Das (nine) and Towhid Hridoy, respectively, until he finally fell victim to Noor Ahmad in the 13th.
He remained the top scorer for Bangladesh with 52 out of 31 deliveries, strewn with four four and three Sixes.
Middle-order battery Hridoy took the reins of Bangladesh’s innings after the departure of Tanzid and scored a 20-ball 26 until finally became the victim of Azatullah Omarzai in the penultimate.
Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan then added valuable runs to the backend and 12 did not scare out.
For Afghanistan, Noor and Rashid each picked up two wickets, while Omarzai made one scalp.
The Acht-Run victory helped Bangladesh Pip Afghanistan and to secure the second position in the rankings of Group B with four points in three games.
