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 the UAE, which was contested in their favoured 50-over style, as the six-team competition is getting ready to start and the squad is being led by all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.
Tigers triumph in the mental match.
Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan by three runs in their second Super Four encounter of the 2018 Asia Cup thanks to a stunning last over from Mustafizur Rahman and two composed innings under duress from Mahmudullah Riyad and Imrul Kayes.
The Tigers were able to maintain control over their hopes of making it to the finals as a consequence of the outcome at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the captain of Bangladesh, won the toss and chose to bat. Despite Liton Das scoring 41 runs off 43 balls at the top, the Tigers were reduced to a perilous 87 for five inside of 21 overs.
As Mahmudullah (74 off 81) and Imrul (72 not out off 89) put up a 128-run partnership for the sixth wicket to register a respectable total of 248, the Afghanistan bowlers were unable to capitalize on the early momentum.
Imrul and Mahmudullah both timed their innings almost perfectly.Mahmudullah raised the stakes after scoring his 20th ODI fifty, hitting star leggie Rashid Khan for a couple of towering sixes, while Imrul, who was playing in his first ODI in over a year and had just flown in as a team reinforcement, hit six boundaries.
Afghanistan’s response was cautious at first after losing a few early wickets. Mohammad Shahzad, the opener, hit eight boundaries on route to a fifty, but Mahmudullah extended his hot streak by taking out Shahzad in the 25th over with the score at 89 for three.
From that point on, Bangladesh had a trying stretch as the Afghan middle-order batsmen performed well.
Mashrafe, the Tigers’ captain, granted them a respite by immediately removing Asghar Afghan (39) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (71).
Shahidi’s failure left the Afghans at 192 for five after 43.3 overs, but they still seemed confident enough to win by completing their allotted number of overs.
Following a quick-fire 46-run partnership for the sixth wicket, the dependable Mohammad Nabi and Samiullah Shinwari almost guided their team to safety. When Nabi was taken out of the game, the necessary runs were nine off of 12 and then changed to eight runs off of the last over.
In the crucial over, Mustafizur ultimately emerged victorious in the mental struggle. Rashid Khan was sent into the dugout by the cunning left-armer, who, most crucially, only gave up four.