Bangladesh pip Afghanistan in narrow two-wicket win to take 2-0 lead

Bangladesh gained an unassailable 2-0 lead against Afghanistan, with a narrow two-wicket win, after chasing 148 in the second T20I to inflict Afghanistan's fourth straight T20I defeat - out of which three of them have come from Bangladesh's hands. Miserly spells from Shoriful Islam (1 for 13), Mohammad Saifuddin (0 for 22) and Nasum Ahmed (2 for 25) restricted the opposition to 147 for 5 before Bangladesh's middle-order saw off a rampaging Azmatullah Omarzai (4 for 23) with the ball.

24 hours earlier, Bangladesh had gotten off to a rollicking 109-run opening stand but today both openers were dismissed for two as the chasing side were 16 for 2 in the fourth over courtesy Omarzai. Saif Hassan, who hit two sixes and a four in a short knock, fell in the next over as Bangladesh lost their top three for just 24 runs. The task was on Shammim Hossain and Jaker Ali to resurrect the innings and the former took the early impetus, bringing out the sweeps and the slap through cover against Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad. Jaker joined in with two quick sixes to bring the chasing side back into the contest.

Jaker then swiped Rashid for four but fell to the legspinner next ball bringing an end to the 56-run partnership. Nurul Hasan chipped in with valuable boundaries but Afghanistan bit back in the form of Noor scalping Shammim. With 44 needed off the last 30, Nurul smashed Nabi for two sixes in the 16th over to bring the equation down to 28 off the last four. But Afghanistan didn't give up. Rashid dismissed Nasum Ahmed while Azmatullah picked up two in three balls - leaving Bangladesh with 19 from 12. But Noor conceded 17 in the 19th over before Shoriful smashed a four in the final over for Bangladesh to register yet another win.

Earlier, with the bat, Afghanistan's openers Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran registered a 55-run stand but it came in slow time. They took almost eight overs to get there before the former was dismissed. Zadran fell three overs later bringing hsi labourious 37-ball 38 to an end. 18-year-old Wafiullah Tarakhil fell to Rishad Hossain as Bangladesh began to choke Afghanistan. Gurbaz, at the other end, was witnessing the carnage but kept trying to keep the button pressed on the accelerator.

Rasooli hit a six off Nasum and Rishad before falling to the left-arm spinner. Gurbaz too changed gears around the similar time and hit two timely sixes off Rishad. But Gurbaz's stay at the crease ended when Shoriful nailed a yorker on the stumps. Nabi hit couple of lusty blows to take Afghanistan to 147 for 5 which in the end didn't prove to be enough.

Brief Scores: Afghanistan 147/5 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 38, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 30; Nasum Ahmed 2-25, Rishad Hossain 2-45) lost to Bangladesh 150/8 in 19.1 overs (Shammim Hossain 33, Jaker Ali 32; Azmatullah Omarzai 4-23, Rashid Khan 2-29) by two wickets