Miraz dominates to rout Afghanistan in World Cup
Mehidy Hasan Miraz
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Mehidy Hasan Miraz's all-round brilliance and Najmul Hossain Shanto's brilliant batting led Bangladesh to six-wicket win against Afghanistan in the ongoing Cricket World Cup at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala.
Bangladesh chased down the 158 runs in 34.4 overs. It was Bangladesh's biggest win in the World Cup in terms of balls remaining. The previous best was 52 versus the Netherlands in the 2011 World Cup.
Earlier, Bangladesh found themselves in a spot of bother after they lost both the openers Tanzid Tamim (5) and Litton Das (13) early.
Litton fell prey to Fazalhaq Farooqi when the batter tried to play toward the cover instead of getting an inside edge after Tanzid’s hastily runout.
Miraz steered with a half-century and added a 97-run partnership with Najmul Hossain Shanto. Miraz smashed 57 off 73 balls with five boundaries, capitalizing on two chances.
Miraz was dropped on 17 runs facing Farooqi during the 8.4 and 11.3 overs of their innings and survived an LBW off Mujeeb just after completing fifty on 24.3 overs after going for a review.
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The all-rounder also became the 23rd player to score a fifty and pick up three wickets in a World Cup match.
Skipper Shakib was hit by a deadly bouncer from Naveen ul Haq, leaving him uncomfortable. He was soon removed for 14 runs by Azmatullah Omarzai.
Shanto registered his maiden ODI half-century and remained unbeaten on 59 runs which featured three 4's and a solitary six.
Opting to ball first, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan again proved a thorn in Afghanistan's side at the World Cup as he sparked a batting collapse in Dharamsala on Saturday.
Afghanistan, who had been relatively well-placed at 47-1 and 112-2 after being sent into bat, lost their last eight wickets for 44 runs as they were dismissed for just 156 with more than 11 overs to spare.
Left-arm spinner Shakib, who in the corresponding World Cup fixture four years ago took 5-29 in Bangladesh's 62-run win, claimed the opening two wickets on Saturday in a return of 3-30 in eight overs.
Shakib also had a good day in the field as captain, with his bowling changes soon producing wickets.
Fellow spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz took 3-25 from nine overs as several Afghanistan batsmen gave their wickets away.
Only opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, with 47, offered much in the way of resistance before, seemingly frustrated at the lack of support from the other end, he holed out off paceman Mustafizur Rahman to Tanzid Hasan in the covers.
Afghanistan's plight was summed up when tailender Mujeeb Ur Rahman walked out to bat without wearing a box or athletic protector.
