Bangladesh Edges Afghanistan in Thrilling First T20 International

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates – Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by four wickets in the first T20 international on Thursday night, taking a 1–0 lead in the three-match series. The match saw a dramatic turnaround as Bangladesh, who seemed comfortably on track, faced a middle-order collapse.

Chasing a target of 152, Bangladesh’s openers, Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon, initially set the pace with a strong partnership of 109 runs without losing a wicket. Emon scored 54 runs off 37 balls, while Tanzid contributed 51 runs off 38 balls. Their performances suggested an easy victory for the Tigers.

However, the match took a wild turn when Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner Rashid Khan claimed four wickets in a devastating spell, removing both openers along with three other batters within a span of just 25 deliveries. Emon fell victim to Fareed Ahmad, while Tanzid was dismissed by Rashid, triggering a collapse that saw Bangladesh lose six wickets for merely nine runs.

With Bangladesh reeling at 118 for six, the responsibility fell to Nurul Hasan Sohan and Rishad Hossain. The duo made a crucial unbeaten partnership of 35 runs, securing the win with eight balls to spare. Nurul scored 23 runs, which included two essential sixes, while Rishad played a supporting role and hit the winning boundary.

Earlier, Afghanistan had a tough start, falling to 40 for four, but recovery efforts from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored 40 runs off 31 balls, and Mohammad Nabi, with 38 runs off 25 balls, helped them reach 151 for nine. Tanzim and Rishad took two wickets each for Bangladesh during Afghanistan’s innings.

The second T20I will take place at the same venue on Friday, with Bangladesh looking to secure the series ahead of the final match on Sunday. Following this, the two teams are scheduled to clash in a three-match ODI series in Abu Dhabi.