In the Group B encounter, Bangladesh secured a narrow eight-run victory over Afghanistan, keeping their hopes of qualifying for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup alive. The win was a result of a collective team effort, with both the batting and bowling units delivering under pressure in a contest where momentum swung back and forth.
Opting to bat first, Bangladesh was propelled by a start from opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who blazed his way to a 31-ball 52. He was well-supported by Saif Hassan (30 off 28 balls) as the pair put on a quick 63-run opening stand. Despite this strong foundation, Afghanistan's spinners, led by captain Rashid Khan (2/26) and Noor Ahmad (2/23), pulled things back in the middle overs to restrict Bangladesh to a competitive but manageable total of 154 for five.
In reply, Afghanistan's chase got off to a difficult start. Despite a strong knock of 35 from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the Afghan batting lineup struggled to build sustained partnerships. The Bangladesh bowlers, particularly the spinners Nasum Ahmed (2/11) and Rishad Hossain (2/18), applied immense pressure, taking key wickets and stifling the scoring rate.
As the chase reached its climax, Azmatullah Omarzai (30 off 16 balls) and Rashid Khan (20 off 11 balls) threatened to take the game away from Bangladesh with some aggressive hitting. However, the Bangladesh pacers held their nerve, with Mustafizur Rahman (3/28) and Taskin Ahmed (2/34) delivering crucial blows in the final overs. Mustafizur's dismissal of Rashid Khan in the penultimate over was the turning point that sealed the game for Bangladesh.
With this hard-fought win, Bangladesh now has four points, putting them in contention for the next round. Their fate, however, hangs on the result of the upcoming match between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan on Thursday. If Sri Lanka wins, both they and Bangladesh will qualify for the Super Four. If Afghanistan manages to win, the qualification will be decided by net run rate, where Afghanistan currently holds a significant advantage.
