ABU DHABI, Thursday – Rashid Khan, one of the fastest rising stars in world cricket celebrated his 20th birthday in style when he guided Afghanistan to a comprehensive 136-run win over Bangladesh in the final Group B match of the Asia Cup cricket tournament at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here on Thursday
Rashid scored an unbeaten half-century sharing in a record eighth wicket stand of 95 with Gulbadin Naib for his country lifting Afghanistan’s total from a disppointing 160-7 to one of challenging proportions – 255 for 7.
Then when Bangladesh began their run chase picked up two crucial wickets of Shakib Al Hasan (32) and Mahmudullah (27) and affected a run out to rout them for 119 and pick up the Man of the Match award.
This was Bangladesh's lowest total against Afghanistan - their previous lowest being 208 in Dhaka two years ago. The entire Bangladesh innings had just five boundaries which went to show how effectively the Afghanistanis bowled.
Afghanistan who won the toss and batted first - in a match that is inconsequential to the tournament as both teams have qualified for the Super Four stage – didn’t look like even getting past the 200-run mark at one stage.
But Rashid who joined Gulbadin Naib changed the course of the innings with their record partnership. Rashid smashed four fours in the final over bowled by Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza to reach a brilliant fifty off 31 balls and with it help his team cross the 250-run mark. He ended up unbeaten on 57 off 32 balls that included eight fours and one six while his partner Naib who played a passive role scored 42 not out off 38 balls (5 fours).
It is a stiff target for Bangladesh to reach because no team has chased down more than 200 in this Asia Cup.
Bangladesh were also without Tamim Iqbal (injured and out of the tournament) and Mushfiqur Rahim (rested) their two senior most batsmen for this match.
The early part of the Bangladesh batting was provided by Mohammad Shahzad (37) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (58) who figured in a half century stand before Shakib Al Hasan stifled their middle order with three wickets. He ended up taking four for 24 in 10 tidy overs, but once he was finished the Afghanistan eighth wicket pair turned the innings around with some sensational batting especially from the birthday boy. Afghanistan finished the group stage by topping Group B match unbeaten with wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
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