Super Shakib leads Tigers to victory
Bangladesh have beaten Afghanistan for the first time in T20Is since 2014.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan singlehandedly took his team to victory as they beat Afghanistan by four wickets in the last match of the group stage of the ongoing T20 tri-nation series.
This is Bangladesh's only second victory against Afghanistan in T20Is, their first one against them since 2014.
Shakib was not in good touch since his phenomenal World Cup, but he came to his team's aid when they needed him the most. His unbeaten 70 off 45 deliveries took Bangladesh to their target of 139 comfortably, with an over remaining. Shakib was adjudged Man of the match for his 70 runs and a wicket.
Batting first, Afghanistan managed to score 138. In reply, Bangladesh were in trouble early on but they recovered as their superstar captain led them to victory.
Chasing 139, Bangladesh were in a spot of bother straight away as Liton went for four off Mujeeb in the third over of the innings.
In the next over, Debutant Naveen-ul-Haq then dismissed Nazmul Hossain to claim his first international wicket, as the opener returned for five.
Shakib, alongside Mushfiqur, steadied the ship for Bangladesh. They both had their catches dropped, on two and 14 respectively.
Shakib and Mushfiq started to accelerate but Mushfiq holed out to deep midwicket to get out on 26, breaking the partnership of 58 runs.
Shakib survived a scare in the 13th over as the Afghans reviewed against a not-out decision, only for the umpire to be proven correct.
Coming into the bowling for the first time in the 14th over, Afghan skipper Rashid Khan dismissed Mahmudullah for 6.
The very next over, Naveen-ul-Haq sent back Sabbir Rahman for one with a brilliant delivery.
Afif tried to sweep Rashid Khan in the 16th over, only to get himself cleaned up by the 21-year old leg-spinner. Bangladesh were now in a spot of bother as they still required 35 runs off 25 deliveries.
But Shakib did not flinch as he continued alongside Mosaddek. Afghanistan were in the game until the 17th over but Shakib and Mosaddek took it away from them in the 18th over.
Mosaddek hit a boundary off the first delivery before Shakib hit a four and a six in consecutive deliveries off his counterpart Rashid Khan to bring the match into touching distance for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh finished it off in the 19th over as they easily picked up nine runs off Naveen-ul-Haq.
Shakib was unbeaten on 70 with Mosaddek on 19.
Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq picked up a couple of wickets whereas Karim Janat and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman picked up a wicket each.
Earlier, Bangladeshi skipper Shakib Al Hasan decided to field first after winning the toss, mainly because of the dew factor.
Bangladesh had to replace Aminul Islam Biplob with Sabbir Rahman as the former was carrying an injury from the last match. Afghanistan brought in a couple of changes as Karim Janat and Naveen-ul-Haq replaced Dawlat Zadran and Fazal Niazai.
Bangladesh started well as the Afghans only managed to score 12 off the first three overs. But they broke the shackles in the fourth over as Shafiul Islam went for 13.
Afghan openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz accelerated as Afghanistan reached fifty in the seventh over.
The openers went on relentlessly before Afif Hossain came into bowl for the first time in the series. He only took three balls to strike as Hazratullah Zazai was caught by Mustafizur on 47. Afif struck again a ball later as Asghar Afghan was caught at long-on by Nazmul for naught.
Mustafizur sent back the other opener Rahmanullah for 29 as the bowler took the catch off a leading edge.
Shakib then struck a couple of overs later as he pinged Mohammad Nabi LBW for four to reduce the Afghans to 88-4.
The next over, Gulbadin Naib was run out by Mahmudullah for one as the Afghans sunk into deeper troubles.
Saifuddin came back into the attack in the 16th over and struck immediately. He cleaned up Najibullah Zadran with a brilliant yorker to reduce Afghanistan to 109-6.
The next over, Shafiul picked up his first wicket of the match to dismiss Karim Janat for three, as a late afghan storm looked more and more unlikely.
Afghanistan managed to score 24 runs in the last three overs to end up on 138-7.
Afif picked up a couple of wickets whereas Shakib, Shafiul, Mustafizur, and Saifuddin picked up a wicket each.
Hazratullah Zazai top-scored with 47 while Rahmanullah scored 29 with Shafiqullah staying not out on 23.
The final of the tournament is set to be on the 24th of September at Dhaka.