Shakib and Mehidy Ensure a Successful Beginning for Bangladesh
SPORTBANGLADESH
Mehidy Hasan Miraz received two reprieves early in his innings, and he gradually accelerated, helping Bangladesh recover from their initial setbacks.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz displayed an outstanding all-round performance with figures of 3-25 with the ball and contributing 57 runs with the bat. Shakib al Hasan also chipped in with 3-30, and Najmul Shanto played a crucial innings of 58* in Bangladesh's successful pursuit against Afghanistan in Dharamsala, marking an impressive start to their 2023 ODI World Cup campaign.
Miraz, in partnership with Shakib, caused significant trouble for Afghanistan, limiting them to a mere 156 runs on a sluggish wicket. Later, Miraz played a pivotal role in Bangladesh's chase, rescuing them from a precarious position of 27/2 with a crucial 97-run partnership for the third wicket.
Bangladesh's openers capitalized on Afghanistan's struggles with the new ball, setting a solid foundation for the innings. However, a miscommunication led to the run-out of Tanzid Hasan due to a sharp direct hit from Najibullah. Additionally, Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed Litton Das, leaving Bangladesh at 27/2 within the first seven overs.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz received two reprieves early in his innings, and he gradually accelerated, helping Bangladesh recover from their initial setbacks. He partnered with Shanto to rebuild the chase effectively. The duo adeptly rotated the strike against Rashid Khan, preventing him from settling in, despite Mohammad Nabi delivering a few economical overs at the start of his spell. Miraz consistently found the boundaries to keep the scoreboard ticking, taking Bangladesh past the 100-run mark and achieving his own half-century off 58 balls in the 23rd over.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz managed to overturn an LBW decision against him with the help of a review, but he later fell for 57 to an incredible one-handed catch by Rahmat Shah at mid-off. However, Najmul Shanto continued to bat steadily and guided Bangladesh to victory in the 35th over, completing his fifty in 80 balls.
In the earlier part of the day, Afghanistan capitalized on the initial struggles of the Bangladesh pacers but couldn't sustain their momentum after a solid start by the openers. They were eventually bowled out for just 156 runs. Afghanistan's downfall began when the spinners came into play, and they collapsed dramatically within 38 overs. This collapse, from a comfortable 112/2 at one point, was largely due to poor shot selection.
With the pace bowlers unable to make breakthroughs, the Bangladesh captain, Shakib Al Hasan, introduced himself into the attack in the eighth over and had an immediate impact. He induced a top-edged slog sweep from Ibrahim Zadran, who had been batting fluently, leading to his dismissal. Spin from both ends helped contain the flow of runs, and Shakib struck again in his opening spell to dismiss Rahmat Shah in a similar manner.
While Rahmanullah Gurbaz found some relief by hitting a boundary off Shoriful Islam, Afghanistan's skipper, Hashmatullah Shahidi, struggled during his brief stay, particularly against Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Shahidi managed just 3 runs off the 22 balls he faced from the offspinner before attempting to take on Mehidy and losing his wicket after a slow 18 off 38 deliveries. Afghanistan's collapse, losing 4 wickets for just 14 runs, occurred within the space of 32 balls.
Gurbaz missed out on a half-century by just three runs as he was deceived by a slower ball from Mustafizur Rahman, resulting in a slice to deep cover. Shakib returned to pick up his third wicket by dismantling Najibullah Zadran's leg stump. Taskin Ahmed then got the better of Mohammed Nabi for the fourth time in 42 balls in ODIs. Azmatullah Omarzai contributed with three boundaries in the next two overs, taking Afghanistan to 150, but Mehidy broke through Rashid Khan's defenses at the other end to extinguish any hopes of a late recovery. Mehidy claimed his third wicket when he bowled out Mujeeb, who attempted an ill-timed slog off a full delivery. Shoriful Islam finished the job for Bangladesh with two wickets, making the target relatively easy to chase for their first points.