Sport
Bangladesh edge Afghanistan in Asia Cup thriller
With two points from three matches, Afghanistan now face a must-win situation in their final group game against Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan came agonizingly close to pulling off a crucial win in the Asia Cup on Tuesday night but fell just short against Bangladesh, losing by 8 runs in a tense Group B match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Chasing 155, Afghanistan showed promise at various stages but couldn’t string together a complete innings.
After early setbacks, Rahmanullah Gurbaz steadied the innings with 35, and Azmatullah Omarzai sparked hope with a brisk 30 off 16.
Rashid Khan added a late push with 20 off 11, but the chase fell apart in the final over, ending at 146 all out.
Earlier, Afghanistan’s bowlers had put in a disciplined performance to restrict Bangladesh to 154/5, with Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rashid Khan impressing.
However, a few missed chances in the field allowed Bangladesh — led by Tanzid Hasan’s quick 52 — to post a competitive total.
With two points from three matches, Afghanistan now face a must-win situation in their final group game against Sri Lanka.
Qualification for the Super Four will depend not only on that result but also on net run rate.
Despite the loss, Afghanistan remain in the hunt — but will need a sharper all-round display to keep their tournament hopes alive.