Allah Ghazanfar claims 6-wicket haul against Bangladesh in 1st ODI
Bangladesh's cricket team suffered a major blow in its preparation for next year's ICC Champions Trophy, after a batting collapse against Afghanistan. The match witnessed a brilliant performance from 18-year-old Afghan off-spinner, Allah Ghazanfar, who took six wickets for 26 runs from 6.3 overs. This caused Bangladesh's score to tumble from 120/2 to an all-out 143 in mere 8.4 overs. Afghanistan scored 235/10 before the Bangladeshis folded for 143 in 34.3 overs. Here's more.
Ghazanfar's early strike and Bangladesh's initial resistance
Ghazanfar struck early in the match, dismissing opener Tanzid Hasan. However, Soumya Sarkar and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto quickly regained control for Bangladesh. Their partnership was broken by medium-pacer Azmatullah Omarzai who dismissed Sarkar. Despite this setback, another promising partnership emerged between Najmul and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, pushing the chase past halfway mark.
Nabi's strategic move and Ghazanfar's return
The game turned in the 26th over when veteran Mohammad Nabi made a smart field change and got Najmul out. This opened the door for Ghazanfar to return in the 31st over and get Mehidy's wicket. His next over saw him take three more wickets, leaving Bangladesh at a precarious 138/8.
Rashid Khan adds to Bangladesh's woes
Rashid Khan further compounded Bangladesh's woes with a well-disguised googly that sent Mahmudullah packing. Towhid Hridoy also succumbed to a Rashid googly, missing it while going for an expansive slog sweep. In the 35th over, Ghazanfar picked his sixth wicket with another carrom ball that outfoxed Shoriful Islam, handing Afghanistan a stunning 92-run win.
Bangladesh's bowling efforts and Afghanistan's recovery
Earlier in the match, Bangladesh bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman had put Afghanistan on the back foot at 71/5 in 20 overs. However, a resilient partnership between captain Shahidi and Nabi helped Afghanistan recover. Nabi's impressive 84 off 79 balls played a crucial role in pushing the team past the 200-run mark before he fell to Taskin.
Ghazanfar's record-breaking performance
Ghazanfar's six-wicket haul is also a career best and the best figures in all Bangladesh-Afghanistan ODIs, bettering Shakib Al Hasan's 5/29 at Southampton in 2019. This was Ghazanfar's sixth ODI. He owns 10 scalps at an average of 15.40. Meanwhile, the rising teen sensation raced to 14 wickets in List A cricket from just 10 matches at 22.35. He claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in List A cricket.
2nd-best ODI figures by an Afghan bowler
As per ESPNcricinfo, Ghazanfar now owns the 2nd-best bowling figures by an Afghanistan bowler in ODIs. Rashid Khan (7/18 versus West Indies) tops the show. Ghazanfar also became the 3rd Afghan bowler with six wickets or more in an ODI after Rashid (twice) and Gulbadin Naib.
