Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh in a rain-hit low-scoring thriller in a must-win game to book their berth in the T20 World Cup semi-finals.
In a virtual quarter-final clash at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first. However, their innings was disrupted by some disciplined bowling from the Bangladesh bowlers, led by leg-spinner Rishad Hossain who finished with figures of 3/26.
Afghanistan struggled to get going, with only Rahmanullah Gurbaz (43 off 55 balls) managing to make a meaningful contribution.
The rest of the Afghan batters failed to capitalize on the good start provided by the openers, as the team could only manage 115/5 in their 20 overs.
Bangladesh were set a revised target of 117 runs in 18 overs due to a rain interruption. The chase got off to a shaky start as they lost wickets at regular intervals, with the Afghan spinners Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman causing problems.
At 87/6 in the 15th over, Bangladesh were staring down the barrel. However, a late fightback from Mehidy Hasan Miraz (32* off 20 balls) and Taskin Ahmed (16* off 10 balls) kept them in the hunt. But in the end, they fell short by 5 runs, finishing on 111/7.
The win means Afghanistan have booked their place in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup for the first time in their history. They will now face Group 2 toppers South Africa in the first semi-final on Wednesday.
Despite the loss, Bangladesh can take heart from their spirited performance. They fought till the end and came close to pulling off an unlikely victory.
This result also means that defending champions England have qualified for the semi-finals alongside India, Afghanistan, and South Africa.
It was a thrilling encounter that went down to the wire, showcasing the competitive nature of this T20 World Cup. Afghanistan’s ability to hold their nerve in a crunch situation proved to be the difference in the end, as they booked their maiden semi-final berth in style.
The Man of the Match, the hero of the game, Naveen-ul-Haq said: “I want to thank mighty Allah for this achievement, we have worked hard for this since the last few years, we were dreaming and working for this day and it’s a surreal feeling.”