Shanto, Nasum lead Tigers to level series against Afghans

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto struck a brilliant 76 and Nasum Ahmed who made a comeback to the side after a year hiatus put on a superb all-round performance as Bangladesh levelled the three-match series with a 68-run victory over Afghanistan in the second ODI on Saturday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Thanks to Shanto’s defiant knock, Bangladesh posted 252-7 before the bowlers bowled well in tandem to wrap up Afghanistan for 184 in 43.3 overs. Nasum who made crucial 25 runs, snared 3-28 to make his comeback memorable one.

Bangladesh suffered a 92-run defeat in the first match after tasting a sensational collapse that saw them lose eight wickets for just 23 runs.

An 18-year-old offspinner Mohammad Ghazanfar was the wrecker-in-chief with 6-26 to leave Bangladesh in shambles. Bangladesh, however, dealt with him astutely in the second match to prove that they had learnt from their mistakes.

Captain Shanto played a vital role in neutralizing the Ghazanfar effect even though the teenage spinners still finished with 2-35.

Soumya Sarkar scored 35 and debutant Jaker Ali Anik, who replaced injured Mushfiqur Rahim added quickfire 37 not out to help the side take a respectable position after a mini collapse.

Left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote claimed 3-28 and legspinner Rashid Khan took 2-32 for Afghanistan.

Bangladesh’s success lay in dealing with Ghazanfar well in this match.

After opting to bat first, Bangladesh made a rapid start thanks to Tanzid Hasan Tamim who made 17 ball-22, negotiating pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi with utmost confidence.

Ghazanfar gave the first breakthrough, having claimed the wicket of Tanzid but Soumya and Shanto cautiously dealt with the mysterious offspinner to keep Bangladesh on course.

Rashid Khan trapped Soumya leg-before to end the 71-run partnership. Shanto then shared a 53-run partnership with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, a partnership that was also broken by Rashid when he got rid of Miraz for 22.

Shanto raised his fifth ODI half-century of 75, pushing a delivery of Mohammad Nabi to mid-on for a single.

His cautious approach served the team well and him also but all of a sudden he tried to dominate Nangeyalia Khatore and threw away his wicket. He struck six fours and one six in 119 balls.

Soon after Mahmudullah Riyad also perished to a bad shot as Bangladesh lost three wickets for nine runs, which awakened the prospect of a collapse like the first match.

But Jaker Ali and Nasum Ahmed shared 46 runs for the seventh wicket to bring the side back into the contest. Kharote took out Nasum before Jaker hit some lusty blows to help the side propel past 250.

Taskin Ahmed gave Bangladesh an early breakthrough by sending back Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 2.

But the Afghans were on course of another victory when Sediqullah Atal and Rahmat Shah defied Bangladesh bowler with ease.

Nasum in his first over broke the partnership by removing Atal who made 39 but Rahmat Shah went on to score a team-best 52.

However, Rahmat was trapped and run-out in a manic period when Bangladesh took three Afghanistan wickets in six balls to take control of the match.

Afghanistan who were 118-2 in the 29th over were made 119-5 in the 30th over and Bangladesh started the operation with renewed confidence. Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib seemed to help the side recover but Shoriful broke the partnership, taking out Naib for 26 and Afghanistan eventually crumbled under pressure.

Nasum fittingly wrapped up the Afghan's innings by dismissing Ghazanfar.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mustafizur Rahman grabbed two wickets while Shoriful and Taskin took one wicket apiece to complement Nasum’s three-for.

The third and series-deciding ODI is on Monday.