ODI Series: Bangladesh VS Afghanistan
3rd Match Played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Cricket Stadium (ZACS)
Afghanistan 193/3 In 40.1 Overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaj 106 ,Rahmat Shah 47, Riaz Hasan 35, Mehedy Miraj 2/23 ) beat Bangladesh 192 All Out in 46.5 Overs ( Liton K Das 86, Mahmudullah Riad 20, Rashid Khan 3/37, Mohammad Nabi 2/29) by & Wickets
Player of The Match: Rahmanullah Gurbaj
Player of the Series: Liton K Das.
Bangladesh lost the third ODI against Afghanistan by a huge margin of 7 wickets. In any match, any international team can lose against any opposition. But the manner and the margin by which Bangladesh lost raised questions of consistency, commitment and of course complacency.
Bangladesh wrapped up the series winning the first and the second match. If they would win the third that could have consolidated their position at the top of ICC ODI league points table with 110 points. How can a team play so inconsistently? Bangladesh late middle-order batsmen Afif Hossain and Mehedy Miraj rescued them from the brink in match one. Wonderful batting by Liton, Mushfque and penetrative bowling by the bowling unit blew away Afghanistan in the second. But pretty ordinary performance in the third caused Afghanistan a cakewalk redeeming in the third.
On the green top grassy wicket, Bangladesh batsmen excepting Liton huffed and puffed. On the same surface Afghan batsmen Gurbaj (106), Rahmat Shah (47) and Riaz Hasan (35) made a feast of Bangladesh attack. Afghanistan winning the match impressively gathered the required momentum before the important T20 series. Captain Tamim looked out of sorts in all three matches. Shakib was well below his best, Riad looked out of spirit, Mushfique succeeded in one match and failed in the first and the third. How can a bowling unit bowling so well in the first two match lose rhyme so quickly?
Winning the toss and opting to bat on a green top seam favoring wicket was a bit of arrogance on the part of Captain Tamim. It boomeranged on Bangladesh. On such a wicket getting early assistance Bangladeshi pacer trio Mustafiz , Taskin and Shoriful could restrict Afghanistan. Moreover, Bangladesh top order including Tamim fell like pack of cards in the first match against blooming Afghanistan pacer Fazal Haq Faroqi . Tamim looked pretty ordinary yet again. His flawed technique against the moving ball caused him lose wicket getting cleaned up by an in swinging Farooqi Yorker.
Shakib coming to the wicket in a flamboyant mood escaped an LBW decision overturned by DRS. He was doing OK with Liton impressing on the other end. But his lack of application caused him lose his wicket scoring 30. The comfort with his Liton was batting gave the impression that he was batting on a different surface. Mushfque, Yasir came and went. Bangladesh yet had Riad, Afif , Meraj and the tail. Playing sensibly the 50 overs Bangladesh could take their innings well beyond 200. But one after another three run outs caused them getting bundled out for 192. Rashid Khan (3/32) and Mohammad Nabi (2/29) sharing 5 wickets among them giving away 61 runs in 20 overs strangled Bangladesh. Only Liton K Das proving head and shoulder above the rest of Bangladesh batsmen in the series scored another stroke full matured 86.
Whatever be the nature of the wicket there was no demon there. Bangladesh batsmen must be blamed for their own failure. It was again proved that batsmen cannot adjust their technique on a good sporting wicket. By the time Afghanistan batted the wicket eased a lot. Bangladesh did not bowl at all well. Tamim for the first time in the series did not handle his resources well. Even the fielders looked spiritless. Few catches were dropped and few fielding lapses were observed.
On the other hand Afghanistan demonstrated a cool professional approach. Gurbaz (106) and Riazb(35) set up a good foundation scoring 79 in the first wicket partnership. After the fall of Riaz wicket Gurbaj and Rahmat Shah (47) added another 100. Mehedy was brought into the attack very late. His 2 scalp could only reduce the margin. Why Mahmudullah was not tried a few overs. Was the match a gift to Afghanistan by Bangladesh? However, winning the match by 7 wicket Afghanistan gathered the momentum before the T20 series. Bangladesh lost a golden opportunity for improving ICC Ranking and consolidating position in the points table of ICC ODI super league.
Tamim is reluctant for playing T20 International; Shakib dodges Test series against stronger opposition. Time has arrived for discarding them in those formats. None should deal with unwilling horses. Bangladesh is bigger than individuals. No one remains indispensable forever.
Liton K Das justifiably won the player of the series award. Gurbaj won the man of the match accolade.
BDST: 1312 HRS, MAR 01, 2022
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