Rashid Khan once again showed why he is regarded as one of the world’s best spinners, claiming a sensational five-wicket haul to guide Afghanistan to an 81-run win over Bangladesh in the second ODI and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Rashid Runs Riot After Tough Batting Day
Defending a modest total of 190, Afghanistan’s bowlers turned the game on its head on a track that offered sharp turn and variable bounce. Rashid was virtually unplayable, finishing with 5 for 17 in 8.3 overs, as Bangladesh were bundled out for 109 in 28.3 overs.
The leg-spinner ran through the lower order after Azmatullah Omarzai (3-27) set the tone early, removing Tanzid Hasan in the opening over. Bangladesh never recovered, collapsing from 79/4 to 109 all out.
Even when we scored 191, I told the boys that the wicket wasn’t easy and we wouldn’t let them reach the target. Omarzai gave us a great start and Rashid, as always, was brilliant. He’s a world-class bowler who always delivers for the team.
Zadran Anchors Fightback with Defiant 95
Earlier, Afghanistan’s innings was anchored by Ibrahim Zadran, whose patient 95 off 140 balls gave the visitors something to defend after an early collapse. The rest of the batting lineup faltered on a slow surface as wickets fell regularly, with only Mohammad Nabi (22) and A M Ghazanfar (22) offering brief support.
We didn’t build enough partnerships, but I just tried to stay positive and rotate the strike. I knew the longer I stayed, the better chance we had of reaching a defendable score.
Afghanistan were bowled out for 190 in 44.5 overs, with Bangladesh’s spinners doing most of the damage. Mehidy Hasan Miraz led the way with 3-42, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib (2-35) and Rishad Hossain (2-37) chipped in with useful spells.
Bangladesh Falter Again With The Bat
The chase never gathered momentum. Despite brief resistance from Towhid Hridoy (24) and Saif Hassan (22), the visitors’ middle order crumbled under sustained spin pressure. None of the batters managed to counter Rashid’s guile and control.
We bowled well enough to chase that total, but our batting was very poor: We keep losing wickets after small partnerships, and the batters need to take more responsibility. We’re very disappointed.
The win not only secured the series for Afghanistan but also marked a strong response after recent disappointments in the Asia Cup and T20I series.
Brief Scores: Afghanistan 190 all out in 44.5 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 95, Mohammad Nabi 22; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 3-42, Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2-35, Rishad Hossain 2-37) Bangladesh 109 all out in 28.3 overs (Towhid Hridoy 24; Rashid Khan 5-17, Azmatullah Omarzai 3-27). Result: Afghanistan won by 81 runs and lead the series 2–0
