Bangladesh edge Afghanistan by 4 wkts in thrilling 1st T20

Bangladesh overcame a dramatic middle-order collapse to defeat Afghanistan by four wickets in the first T20 of the three-match series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday, taking a 1-0 lead.

Chasing a modest target of 152, Bangladesh looked set for a comfortable win as openers Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan Tamim powered to a 109-run stand in just 11 overs.

Emon struck a fluent 54 off 37 balls with four fours and three sixes, while Tanzid contributed 51 off 37, hitting three fours and three sixes.

However, the match took a sudden turn when pacer Fareed Ahmad Malik broke the opening stand by trapping Emon lbw.

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan then turned the game on its head with a sensational spell, claiming four wickets in two overs.

His victims included Tanzid, Saif Hasan (0), Jaker Ali Anik (6), and Shamim Patwari (0), reducing Bangladesh from 109-0 to 118-6.

With the chase hanging in the balance, Nurul Hasan Sohan (23* off 13) and Rishad Hossain (14* off 9) held their nerve. The pair added an unbeaten 35-run partnership for the seventh wicket, steering Bangladesh home with eight balls to spare.

Rishad survived an early scare before hitting the winning boundary as Bangladesh reached 153-6 in 18.4 overs.

Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers delivered a disciplined performance to restrict Afghanistan to 151-9 on a batting-friendly pitch.

Pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib and leg-spinner Rishad Hossain picked up two wickets each, while Mustafizur Rahman and Nasum Ahmed applied pressure with miserly spells.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored for Afghanistan with a brisk 40 off 31 balls, including two fours and three sixes.

Mohammad Nabi added late momentum with a powerful 38 off 25, hitting one four and four sixes, but Afghanistan struggled to build consistent partnerships.

Taskin Ahmed removed Nabi in the 18th over to halt the late surge, though Sharafuddin Ashraf’s unbeaten 17 off 12 helped the visitors finish with a competitive total.

Bangladesh will look to seal the series in the second T20, while Afghanistan will aim to bounce back and keep the contest alive.