Asia Cup 2023, Bangladesh hammer Afghanistan: Key stats
After suffering a defeat against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh bounced back in style, hammering Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2023 on Sunday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Bangladesh posted a mammoth score of 334/5 in 50 overs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Najmul Hossain Shanto scored sparkling centuries to lay the foundation. In response, Afghanistan showed some fight early on before Bangladesh took control (245/10).
How did the match pan out?
Bangladesh openers Mohammad Naim and Mehidy added 60 runs before Towhid Hridoy was dismissed for a duck (63/2). Mehidy found company in the form of Shanto and the two added 194 runs for the fourth wicket. Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan played good cameos to help their side. In response, Afghanistan saw Ibrahim Zadran and Hashmatullah Shahidi score fifties but it wasn't enough.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz completes 1,000 ODI runs with second hundred
Star Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy mustered a remarkable hundred in his side's Group B contest against Afghanistan. During the course, he also raced past 1,000 ODI runs He retired hurt after scoring a 119-ball 112 (7 fours, 3 sixes). Overall, this was Mehidy's second hundred in ODI cricket. Mehidy has raced to 1,005 runs at an average of 23.37. His strike rate is 78.33.
Opened for the second time in ODIs
Notably, this is only the second occasion of Mehidy opening the innings in ODI cricket. He also started the proceedings in the 2018 Asia Cup final against India. The all-rounder scored a 59-ball 32 in that duel. Bangladesh lost that thrilling clash by three wickets.
Najmul Hossain Shanto slams his second ODI hundred
Najmul scored a brilliant hundred, bailing his side out of trouble with a well-paced knock. The youngster got run out after scoring 104 off 105 balls (9 fours, 2 sixes). Overall, this was Shanto's second century in ODI cricket and a second successive fifty-plus score. He has raced to 832 runs in 29 games at 29.71. Besides two hundreds, he has four fifties.
Ibrahim Zadran smokes his fourth ODI half-century
Zadran played a fighting knock for Afghanistan. The Afghanistan batter was very cautious in his 75-run knock from 74 deliveries. Notably, this was Zadran's fourth ODI fifty. His knock was studded with 10 fours and a solitary maximum. Playing his 18th ODI match, Ibrahim has raced to 904 runs at an impressive average of 56.50.
Shahidi plays a valiant knock
Afghanistan skipper Shahidi played a valiant knock. The veteran dasher slammed his 15th ODI fifty and his fourth against the Bangla Tigers in this format. Shahidi looked fluent in his patient 51-run knock of 60 balls. He slammed six boundaries. The 28-year-old has amassed 1,716 runs in 63 ODIs at 32.37. Shahidi has scored 15 fifties but is yet to touch the triple-figure mark.
Key numbers for Taskin and Shoriful
Taskin Ahmed claimed a four-fer, besides conceding 44 runs from 8.3 overs. He has 86 scalps at 29.51. Meanwhile, Shoriful Islam made his presence felt with 3/36 from nine overs. He now has 70 scalps at 36.12.
