Afghanistan stormed into the semi-final of the ICC T20 match defeating Bangladesh.
Afghanistan stormed into the semi-final of the ICC T20 match defeating Bangladesh.
New Delhi June 26: Afghanistan entered into the semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup by defeating Bangladesh in a rain-affected match on Tuesday night.
Afghanistan won the battle through the D/L method 8 runs in a low-scoring game. It was a knockout punch for Australia in this World Cup.
In Group 1, India is already qualified in the Semi-final after three wins in the Super-8. It has 6 points. Australia won only 1 game and lost 2 matches and hence it has only 2 points while Afghanistan won 2 matches in this group and has 4 points. It has defeated Australia and Bangladesh.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first in St Vincent Cricket Stadium.
Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran started well and played a crucial first-wicket partnership of 59 runs in 10.4 overs. The first wicket of Zadran fell at that score. He played a knock of 18 runs of 29 deliveries hitting 1 four.
The pitch was not easy for batting in the overcast conditions. It has seam movement and bounce on the pitch which gives the edge to the bowlers.
Rahmatullah Gurbaz scored 43 of 55 deliveries hitting 3 fours and 1 six. Abdullah Omerzai scored 10 runs in 12 balls and skipper Rashid Khan finished the game with three lusty hits at the end of the inning. He scored 19 runs in just 10 balls hitting three sixes.
Afghanistan reached a total of 115 in the full quota of 20 overs by losing 5 wickets.
The Bangladesh inning was not started on a good note. It was one of the openers Tanzid Hasan out for a duck in the second over. Litton Das was looking in good touch on the other end. He was the top scorer with 54 runs in 49 balls hitting 5 fours and 1 six. Besides him, only two batsmen of the Bangladesh side reached double figures.
Soumya Sarkar scored 10 runs in 10 balls hitting 1 four and Towhid Hridoy scored 14 runs in 9 balls hitting 2 fours.
Bangladesh reached 105 runs losing all 10 wickets in a rain-interrupted match in just 17.5 overs.
Brief score.
Afghanistan- Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 43 runs in 55 balls, Ibrahim Zadran 18 of 29 balls and Rashid Khan 19 in 10 balls.
Bangladesh- Litton Das scored 54 in 49 balls, Towhid Hridoy 14 in 9 balls and Soumya Sarkar 10 in 10 balls.
The most successful Afghanistan bowler was the skipper Rashid Khan who took 4 wickets costing just 23 runs in 4 overs, Naveen-ul-Haq took 4 wickets of 26 runs in 3.5 overs while Fazalhaq Farooqi and Gulbadin Naib took a wicket a piece.
For Bangladesh, Rishad Hossain took 3 wickets costing 26 runs while Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed took a wicket a piece.
EOM.
