Bangladesh v Afghanistan
Wisden's review of the fifth Asia Cup match, Bangladesh v Afghanistan
15-Apr-2015
At Fatullah, March 1, 2014 (day/night). Afghanistan won by 32 runs. Afghanistan 4pts. Toss: Bangladesh.
Bangladesh let Afghanistan off the hook twice - enough for them to pull off their first one-day international victory over a Test-playing nation, at only their fourth attempt (Bangladesh had needed 28). First Afghanistan recovered from 90 for five, thanks to a sixth-wicket stand of 164 in 23 overs: Asghar Stanikzai didn't find the boundary until his 74th ball, but finished with six fours and three sixes from 103, while Samiullah Shenwari hammered ten fours and a six from just 69 deliveries.
Bangladesh let Afghanistan off the hook twice - enough for them to pull off their first one-day international victory over a Test-playing nation, at only their fourth attempt (Bangladesh had needed 28). First Afghanistan recovered from 90 for five, thanks to a sixth-wicket stand of 164 in 23 overs: Asghar Stanikzai didn't find the boundary until his 74th ball, but finished with six fours and three sixes from 103, while Samiullah Shenwari hammered ten fours and a six from just 69 deliveries.
Bangladesh then recovered from the loss of both openers inside the first two overs to reach 161 for four. But they surrendered four wickets in eight balls, including three in successive deliveries - a peculiar sort of hat-trick involving two different bowlers and a run-out. Ziaur Rahman smacked three sixes from 22 balls as the Afghans' fielding wilted a little, but finally Nawroz Mangal held on at midwicket to spark mass celebrations for the new boys - and major embarrassment for the hosts.
Bangladesh's captain Mushfiqur Rahim called it "a shameful loss", adding: "I cannot spoon-feed all 11 players." The result meant Afghanistan qualified for the first time for the ICC's one-day international rankings.
Man of the Match: Samiullah Shenwari.
Man of the Match: Samiullah Shenwari.