Bangladesh Edge Afghanistan by 8 Runs to Stay Alive in Asia Cup 2025

Bangladesh kept their Asia Cup 2025 campaign alive with a thrilling eight-run victory over Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, a match that showcased strong batting, disciplined bowling, and some tense moments towards the end. After winning the toss, Bangladesh elected to bat first, aiming to set a competitive total on a pitch that seemed to offer some assistance to the spinners. Their innings got off to a brilliant start, with openers Tanzid Hasan and Saif Hassan putting together a powerplay partnership of 63 runs. Tanzid was particularly impressive, reaching his half-century in just 28 balls. He struck seven boundaries during his 31-ball innings for 52 runs, giving Bangladesh a solid foundation. Saif Hassan complemented him well, helping Bangladesh build momentum early in the innings.

However, Afghanistan’s spinners quickly slowed the scoring and brought their team back into the contest. Noor Ahmad, who finished with figures of 2/23, and Rashid Khan, who took 2/26, were both highly effective in the middle overs. They dismissed key Bangladesh batters, including Litton Das, Saif Hassan, and Shamim Hossain, ensuring that Bangladesh could only reach 154/5 at the end of their 20 overs. Despite the early aggression, the middle overs highlighted Afghanistan’s ability to control the run rate and apply pressure.

Chasing 155, Afghanistan began their innings on a shaky note. Nasum Ahmed made an immediate impact by dismissing Sediqullah Atal LBW on the very first ball, signaling Bangladesh’s intent to dominate with the ball. He later removed Ibrahim Zadran during the powerplay, giving Bangladesh an early advantage. Afghanistan’s middle-order batters, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gulbadin Naib, attempted to rebuild the innings, but Rishad Hossain’s two quick wickets further pushed Afghanistan behind.

The game saw some late resistance from Afghanistan, particularly through Azmatullah Omarzai, who hit 30 runs off just 16 balls with some big sixes that brought his team back into contention. However, Taskin Ahmed dismissed him at a crucial moment, slowing Afghanistan’s momentum. Captain Rashid Khan tried to lead from the front, scoring 20 runs off 11 balls, but the match tilted decisively in Bangladesh’s favor during the 19th over. Mustafizur Rahman bowled superbly in this over, conceding only five runs while dismissing Rashid Khan, effectively sealing Bangladesh’s chances of victory.

Afghanistan required 22 runs in the final over, and Noor Ahmad’s two sixes made the finish suspenseful. Despite this late push, his dismissal on the final ball ended Afghanistan’s innings at 146, giving Bangladesh a narrow but vital win that keeps their hopes of reaching the Super Four alive.

Several players stood out during this game. Nasum Ahmed, who was named Player of the Match, reflected on his performance, saying, “I always enjoy bowling with the new ball, as the captain asked me to do. There was a lot of sweat today, so gripping the ball was challenging, but I love these challenges.” Rashid Khan, Afghanistan’s captain, admitted, “We stayed in the game until the end but couldn’t finish it. Scoring 30 off 18 balls was possible. Our bowling was excellent, but our batting had careless shots. We learned a lot and must prepare well for Sri Lanka.”

Bangladesh captain Litton Das expressed relief after the win. “Winning the match was a relief, but our batting in the last 4-5 overs was not great. I felt we had enough runs, yet it seemed we were 15-20 short. Nasum and Rishad bowled exceptionally well, showing their skill. Tamim batted very well, and the opening partnership was very important. We’ll see how the next games go,” he said.

This victory keeps Bangladesh’s campaign alive in the Asia Cup, highlighting the team’s resilience, ability to handle pressure, and skill in both batting and bowling under tight conditions. The match also underlines the importance of every single performance in T20 cricket, where small moments can decide the outcome of a game. Bangladesh will now look ahead to their next matches with confidence, knowing that they can win even in challenging situations.