Bangladesh sealed a T20I series victory with a tense two-wicket win over Afghanistan in the second match at Sharjah on Friday, taking an unassailable 2–0 lead with one game to spare.
Shoriful stars with bat and ball
All-rounder Shoriful Islam played a decisive role, scoring an unbeaten 11 off six balls in the tense chase and delivering miserly figures of 1 for 13 from his four overs. His all-round impact earned him the Player of the Match award.
Wicketkeeper-batter Nurul Hasan provided calmness under pressure, finishing not out on 31 to steer Bangladesh to their 148-run target in 19.1 overs (150/8).
Afghanistan set 148 after steady batting
Opting to bat, Afghanistan posted 147 for 5. Skipper Ibrahim Zadran top-scored with 38 (37), while Rahmanullah Gurbaz chipped in with 30.
Bangladesh bowlers kept the middle order in check, with Nasum Ahmed (2/25) and Shoriful applying the brakes.
Bangladesh’s chase: early collapse, strong recovery
Bangladesh stumbled early, losing three wickets inside the powerplay. Shamim Hossain (33) and Jaker Ali (32) revived the innings with a 56-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Afghanistan clawed back through Azmatullah Omarzai, who picked up 4 for 23, and Rashid Khan, who took two wickets. But despite late breakthroughs, Bangladesh held their nerve.
Series sealed
With the victory, Bangladesh lead the three-match series 2–0, ensuring the final T20I is a dead rubber.
