BAN vs AFG

That concludes the action from the Asia Cup tonight. Group B has been thrown wide open with the result tonight and now the final league game in this group between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will decide the fate of both those teams as well as Bangladesh. That will be day after though and before that Pakistan will take on Oman in Dubai tomorrow with the winner going through to the Super 4 alongisde India from Group A. Make sure you join us tomorrow for all the action, same time, same place, for now this is Sourabh Agrawal taking your leave on behalf of my co-commentators Meeth Agrawal and Dwaipayan Mukherjee. Cheers!

Litton Das (Bangladesh Captain): "Winning the game is little bit of relief. However, we didn't bat in the last 4-5 overs. The runs were enough on these conditions but we could have got 15-20 more. The way Nasum and Rishad bowled was special. Today, Tanzid batted really well at the start. Then Nasum with the ball started well. (On supporting Sri Lanka) I don't know, let's see." 

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan Captain): "I think we were in the game till the end, till I got out we were in it but we could not finish it off. 30 off 18 in the modern game should have been done. We have not played the kind of cricket we are famous for, we have not played fearless and aggressive cricket through which we have got here. It was a brilliant effort by the bowlers to keep them under 160, from 90 in the first 10. In batting, we played some irresponsible shots and got out. In T20 it can happen, you expect sides to take the game away in the first six overs but you have to come back from then. We were expecting to chase something around 180 but we were very happy with anything under 160. Every game is important, we have a big game coming up against Sri Lanka, will be a big challenge."

The Player of the Match award goes to Nasum Ahmed for his 4.0-1-11-2. Here's what he has to say: "I always fancy bowling with the new ball. When the captain asked me to bowl the first over I was very excited. I was very happy to get a wicket in the first ball of my spell. It was a challenge to grip the ball initially but I managed it by bowling cross seam."

10:28 PM Local Time, 11:58 PM IST: MATCH SUMMARY

Bangladesh (154/5 in 20 overs) beat Afghanistan (146 all-out in 20 overs) by 8 runs

Tanzid Hasan 52(31) | Mustafizur Rahman 3/28(4)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz 35(31) | Noor Ahmad 2/23(4)

Bangladesh stay alive and they live to fight another day in the Asia Cup 2025. For all those who were asking for a nail-biter, here we have it and it is Bangladesh who have gotten better of Afghanistan and registered their second win in the tournament out of 3 matches. But more importantly, they have kept themselves in the race for Super-4s with that win and will now be supporting Sri Lanka against Afghanistan a couple of days later when the proceedings of the group conclude.

For Afghanistan, it was all in their hands before the night started but this defeat means that they have a do-or-die clash coming up against Sri Lanka. It is still in their hands but they have a tough task on their hands. The net run-rates have gone up and down as well, Bangladesh are now placed second in the group with a negative run-rate of -0.27 while Afghanistan are third with 2 points despite a healthy run rate of +2.15 only above Hong Kong.

Everyone felt that the total of 154 in the first innings by Bangladesh was 15-20 runs short but Bangladesh had other plans. Nasum Ahmed started it off with a wicket off the first ball as he trapped Sediqullah Atal plumb in front in a wicket maiden and that is exactly the kind of start Bangladesh needed in this defense. Nasum trapped Zadran in his third over as well and bowled three overs on the trot in the powerplay registering unreal figures of 2/7 setting the tone for Bangladesh.

Gurbaz was looking good at the crease but he kept losing partners and eventually he too fell in the 10th over. No Afghan batter could stay for a long enough time in the middle as the Bangladesh bowlers kept chipping away. 51/3, 62/4 and then 77/5, leg spinner Rishad Hossain bowled brilliantly in the middle overs and picked up crucial wickets.

Then, Azmatullah Omarzai threatened to take Afghanistan home with some huge hits and played a lovely innings of 30 from 16 but then he was removed in the 16th over by Taskin. Afg skipper Rashid Khan then hit some wonderful shots and with him out in the middle, Afghanistan were well and truly in the game before Rashid got out in the penultimate over with 23 runs needed. Noor hit a couple of sixes in the final over and reduced the margin between both the teams.

19.6 Taskin Ahmed to Noor Ahmad, IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! DONE AND DUSTED! Full and just outside off, Noor, once again, goes for the smash but mistimes it straight into the hands of the long off fielder. BANGLADESH WIN BY 8 RUNS!

19.5 Taskin Ahmed to Noor Ahmad, SIX!!! Noor Ahmad is doing it all but a little late. Back of a length outside off, Noor flat bats it uppishly. Rishad, at long on, got a hand on it but couldn't hold on. 

19.3 Taskin Ahmed to Noor Ahmad, SIX!!! Full and in the slot on off, Noor Ahmad stays deep in his crease and smacks it high in the air just over the long on fielder. 

19.1 Taskin Ahmed to Fazalhaq Farooqi, EDGED BUT SAFE! Good length outside off, Fazalhaq swings but outside edges to the right of the diving keeper behind to third man for one. 

18.6 Mustafizur Rahman to Noor Ahmad, short ball on the off stump line, beats Noor Ahmad on the pull. Excellent comeback from Mustafizur after being hit for a first ball boundary. 22 needed off 6 now.