The 16th edition of the regional cricket spectacular, which begins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka on August 30, will return to the Asia Cup’s original 50-over format after featuring the shortest format in its most recent iteration last year. The Daily Star Sports takes a look back at the Tigers’ performances in the 2018 Asia Cup in UAE, played in their favored 50-over style, as Bangladesh prepares for the six-team competition under the captaincy of all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.
Tigers’ morale was damaged after the 136-run thrashing.
After defeating Sri Lanka by 137 runs in their first match of the 2018 Asia Cup, Bangladesh’s momentum was broken as they lost to Afghanistan by a crushing 136 runs in their final group-stage match.
At the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in the UAE, Rashid Khan put on an all-around performance. The 20-year-old batted an unbeaten 32-ball 57 to push Afghanistan’s score to 255 before turning in one of his routine bowling performances, taking two wickets and giving up just 13 runs in nine overs to help the Tigers score a pitiful 119 all out.
Bangladesh had controlled play for the opening 40 overs of the game, limiting their inferior opponents to 160 for 7 in 40.5 overs before all-rounder Shakib AL Hasan claimed his fourth wicket by dismissing Mohammad Nabi to put Rashid in. Mashrafe, the captain of Bangladesh, used eight of his bowlers during those 40 overs to distribute the workload among the regular bowlers in preparation for the match against India.
Learn more.
Rashid terrorizes the tigers
Hider, who was replacing Mustafizur Rahman and making his debut, had early success by dismissing both the opener, Ihsanullah Janat, and Rahmat Shah inside the first 10 overs. Shakib destroyed the middle order by taking the wickets of Nabi, Asghar Afghan Samiullah Shenwari, and opener Shahzad, preventing their run rate from increasing. The only batsman in the top order who held out was Hasmatullah Shahidi, who patiently batted for 58 before being dismissed for 150 in the 38th over by Rubel Hossain.
However, Rashid’s brilliant batting performance after being inserted at number nine enabled his side to score 97 runs in the last 10 overs.
Because Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim were not there, Bangladesh was left vulnerable as the Tigers were reduced to 43 for 4.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed rookie Najmul Hossain Shanto, who stood in for Tamim, and Mominul Haque, who returned to the ODI team after more than three years to replace Mushfiqur, did not help himself by chasing a Naib ball down the leg side and being caught behind.
In addition to Mahmudullah’s 54-ball 27 and Shakib’s top-scoring 55-ball 32, the Tigers were skittled for 119.