||CF Correspondent||
Bangladesh skipper Shakib al Hasan believes that they gifted the game to Afghanistan as they failed to hold on to the momentum and put pressure on their opponent in their second Twenty20 International at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

There was no Afif Hossain heroics this time as Bangladesh paid the price of their mindless batting, shoddy fielding to taste a 25-run defeat to Afghanistan in their second match of the Tri-nation T20 series at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Bangladesh bowled comparatively well but the ground fielding was not electrifying enough to stall a ruthless Afghan batting line up. Led by Mohammad Nabi’s swashbuckling 54 ball-84 not out, the Afghanistan racked up 164-6 from a tittering 40-4.

The Afghan bowlers then complemented Nabi’s effort with a disciplined bowling and astonishing fielding to wrap up Bangladesh’s innings for 139 in 19.5 overs.
‘’Obviously, they are a bigger team than us as they are ranked seven and we are number 10. West Indies and Sri Lanka are above us, against whom we win and lose sometimes. As they are ranked seven, we actually find it difficult to win against them, which was the case in Dehradun [last year when they lost 3-0] and it was also proved today. At the same time, I think we also gifted them the game as I think we were in a position from where we could have grabbed the opportunity with both hands,” he said.
 
Shakib added that a lack of confidence and a poor mindset were the biggest reasons for Bangladesh playing below-par cricket since the World Cup.