Afghanistan chase modest 193 after Rashid leads stellar spin show

Rashid Khan led a sharp display by Afghanistan's spinners, as they put up their best combined performance in the ODI series to bowl out Bangladesh for 192 in 46.5 overs. Rashid finished with three wickets, completing 150 wickets in the format when he got his second, that of Yasir Ali. It came in his 80th match, making him the third-fastest to the milestone in terms of matches, behind Mitchell Starc and Saqlain Mushtaq.

Only Litton Das stood out among the Bangladeshi batters, scoring 86 in 113 balls to follow his 136 in the previous game. He, however, was lucky to survive a DRS call for lbw in the third over - replays suggested a gap between bat and ball, but the TV umpire was certain that Litton had hit the ball.

Litton was on two at the time, and rode that stroke of good fortune to hit seven fours, the ones through the covers especially pleasing.

Afghanistan's first wicket came when Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled Tamim Iqbal through bat and pad. This was the first time Tamim has been out to the same bowler thrice in an ODI series.

Shakib Al Hasan and Litton then put together a strokeful partnership, but it was cut short when Shakib played Azmatullah Omarzai on to his stumps after they had added 61 for the second wicket.

Mushfiqur Rahim edged a classic legspinner from Rashid, before he had Yasir caught at slip in the next over to get to the landmark. Yasir became the fourth Bangladeshi batter to score just one run in his maiden ODI series (in two innings in his case), after Harunur Rashid (1988), Moniruzzaman (2003) and Fazle Mahmud (2018).

Litton eventually fell when he holed out to Gulbadin Naib at long-on, off Mohammad Nabi. Nabi also removed Afif Hossain, who played a soft shot towards mid-on, before Mehidy Hasan Miraz was run-out for six.

Rashid added Taskin Ahmed as his third wicket, before Shoriful Islam and Mustafizur Rahman were both run-out to round off an impressive Afghanistan bowling and fielding performance.

Meanwhile, it was only for the fourth time in their ODI history that Bangladesh picked the same XI for a whole series of three or more matches.

Source: ESPNcricinfo