Afghanistan Defeats Bangladesh to Reach Tri-Series Final
Rahmat Shah led the chase with an unbeaten 67 as Afghanistan secured a seven-wicket victory in Sharjah.
Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets in a one-day international tri-series match at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium on Wednesday, successfully chasing down a target of 161 runs with 87 balls to spare. The victory extended Afghanistan's winning streak in the tournament and eliminated Bangladesh from contention.
Led by acting captain Rahmat Shah, who scored an unbeaten 67 off 90 deliveries, and Hashmatullah Shahidi, who added 36 not out, Afghanistan reached 161 for three in 35.3 overs. Their unbroken fourth-wicket partnership ensured a comfortable finish after the team had experienced early trouble in the run chase.
Bangladesh elected to bat first after winning the toss but struggled against the Afghan bowling attack, getting bowled out for 160 in 41.2 overs. Leg-spinner Rashid Khan led the bowling performance by taking four wickets for 31 runs, earning the Player of the Match award for his efforts.
The Bangladeshi innings faced immediate pressure when the top order collapsed, losing four wickets for just 28 runs within the first seven overs. Opening batsman Parvez Hossain Emon attempted to revive the innings by top-scoring with 70 runs off 96 balls, while Saif Hassan contributed 41 runs from 82 deliveries.
Emon and Saif combined for a 93-run partnership for the fifth wicket, helping stabilize the total before Rashid broke through the middle and lower order. Rashid dismissed Emon, Al Islam, Shoriful Islam, and Mustafizur Rahman to complete his four-wicket haul, causing Bangladesh to lose their final six wickets for only 39 runs.
During the run chase, Afghanistan also faced early difficulties when fast bowler Taskin Ahmed dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz for six and Sediqullah Atal for four. Ibrahim Zadran added 34 runs before being removed by Mustafizur Rahman, leaving the score at 95 for three.
Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi then took control of the match, guiding their team across the finish line without further loss. Rahmat reached his half-century in 66 balls and finished on 67 not out, while Shahidi hit four boundaries in his 36.
With the win, Afghanistan secured their fifth consecutive victory over Bangladesh in this format and advanced to the final match of the tri-series. They are scheduled to face Zimbabwe at the same venue on Friday.