In the high-stakes cauldron of Sharjah Cricket Stadium, victory for Bangladesh would have meant their first series triumph over Afghanistan on neutral soil.
The match, however, slipped away despite a spirited contest, as Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz led a fierce comeback, punishing a Bangladeshi side that was hoping to capitalize on early breakthroughs.
Gurbaz, who struggled in the first two matches against Taskin Ahmed, was liberated today by Taskin’s absence from the playing XI. Stepping in was debutant Nahid Rana, whose blistering pace – clocking at 151 km/h – gave Afghanistan’s batters early jitters. Still, despite Nahid’s fiery start, Gurbaz and the powerful Omarzai stole the show, crafting a counter-attack that would prove decisive. Together, they rallied for a fourth-wicket stand of 100 runs, with Omarzai notching up a crucial fifty to pave Afghanistan’s path to victory.
Earlier in the innings, Bangladesh’s Nahid, Mustafizur Rahman, and Nasum Ahmed kept the game within reach, reining in Afghanistan’s charge until Gurbaz and Omarzai unleashed their assault. Nahid gave Bangladesh a glimpse of control by bowling out Sediqullah Atal with an inside edge at just 14 runs. But soon after, Mustafizur chipped in with two wickets, dismissing Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah, and Afghanistan wobbled at 84 for 3.
From there, though, Gurbaz’s tenacity shone. He battered his way to a stunning 101 off 120 balls, striking five fours and seven sixes. With that, Gurbaz secured his eighth ODI century, his third against Bangladesh – a testament to his dominance. The Bangladeshi side had chances to curb his influence, but two missed opportunities, one by Rishad Hossain at point and another by Zakir Ali’s missed stumping, allowed Gurbaz to push the game further out of reach.
In the latter overs, with victory within touching distance, Omarzai (70*) and Mohammad Nabi (34*) steered Afghanistan home, dismissing any last hopes for Bangladesh. Nahid and Mustafizur claimed two wickets each, while Nasum was miserly, conceding only 24 runs in his 10 overs.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s innings, though resilient, was ultimately underwhelming. Choosing to bat first, they put up 244 for 8, with Mahmudullah Riyad’s gritty 98 standing out as the high point. Mehedi Hasan Miraz also chipped in with a fifty, but despite the efforts of a cramping Mahmudullah, Bangladesh fell short of mounting a daunting total.
In the end, Gurbaz’s resilience and Omarzai’s supporting act ensured Afghanistan walked away with a decisive victory, leaving Bangladesh to rue missed opportunities and to ponder adjustments for future contests.
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