Record Litton-Mushfiqur partnership takes Bangladesh to summit of Super League points table

Bangladesh completed their sixth consecutive ODI series win at home, after beating Afghanistan by 88 runs in the second game in Chattogram. The ten points earned take Bangladesh back to the top of the ICC ODI Super League, having now reached 100 points. Litton Das' fifth century, 136, gave them the formidable 306 for 4 total, before the bowlers combined effectively to bowl out the visitors for 218 runs in 45.1 overs.

This was Bangladesh's highest total against Afghanistan, mostly made possibly by the 202-run stand between Litton and Mushfiqur Rahim, a new Bangladesh record for the third wicket.

Bangladesh did what they missed out in the first ODI: top-order partnerships. Tamim Iqbal fell lbw to Fazalhaq Farooqi in the seventh over but it was a swift opening stand. It was followed by 45 runs between Shakib Al Hasan and Litton for the second wicket. After Shakib fell for 20 to a Rashid Khan slider, Litton and Mushfiqur batted steadily but hardly missed a boundary opportunity.

Litton struck the ball sweetly whenever the Afghan bowlers gave him room outside the off-stump. He started the innings with a tidy cut shot, that was halfway between a square cut and a square drive. He used a combination of cut shots to get eight boundaries in that region throughout his stay. Litton was also driving the ball well through extra cover and midwicket, apart from finding couple of boundaries with the swivel pull too.

Litton reached his century with a blast over the covers off Rashid who floated one to him at that instant. Shortly afterwards, Litton blasted Farooqi for two sixes over midwicket, the first of which slammed into the second tier. But once he fell to a catch at deep square-leg, Mushfiqur followed him next ball. It was the end of an important partnership for this pair.

Mushfiqur played the supporting role, nurdling the ball around the circle to feed Litton the strike. He struck nine fours himself, again mostly using his favoured zones. But Mushfiqur couldn't convert his 41st ODI fifty into his ninth century; out for 86, and for the tenth time in the format fell between a score of 80 and 99.

The only time Afghanistan had a bit of a good time with the ball was in the last four overs when they conceded just 22 runs. Otherwise they had a day to forget when they fielded. Rahmanullah Gurbaz went off with a knee niggle in the fourth over. They conceded a record 33 extras, while Shahidi dropped Litton on 87 at cover. Substitute wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil also missed Mushfiqur's stumping when he was on 69.

Bangladesh started their 307-run defense with three wickets in the powerplay. Afif Hossain scored with a direct hit in the second over, catching Riaz Hassan short from midwicket. Shoriful Islam had Hashmatullah Shahidi caught behind in the fourth over, before Azmatullah Omarzai, promoted to No 4, got stumped off Shakib.

Rahmat Shah and Najibullah Zadran did another rescue act, this time adding 89 runs for the fourth wicket. Both however got out soon after reaching their half-centuries. They generally batted smoothly except when Shoriful dropped Zadran on 24, and off the following ball, the third umpire judged Rahmat run out even though Tamim, the Bangladesh captain, and Shakib both withdrew the appeal as Shakib - the bowler - never touched Najibullah's straight drive. Upon a second replay, Rahmat survived.

But that didn't last long as Taskin removed both Rahmat and Najibullah in the space of his three overs. He bowled Rahmat, who made his 18th fifty, with a delivery that nipped away at the last gasp, surprising even Taskin that it hit the top of off-stump. Najibullah got out strangely, caught behind guiding the ball and ramping it. He was caught behind for 54, his 14th half-century, having struck seven fours in his 61-ball stay.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz got into the act in the 38th over when he had Mohammad Nabi caught at long-off for 32, while Mustafizur Rahman clean bowled Rashid for 29 to end Afghanistan's resistance. Substitute Mahmudul Hasan Joy took a boundary-line juggler at the deep midwicket boundary, before

Bangladesh, who have lost just one ODI series at home in the last seven years, have already won Super League series against West Indies, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, and have three series left against South Africa (next month), Ireland and England, before the 2023 World Cup.